MAKHACHKALA, January 12 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian special forces soldier was killed and another wounded on Saturday morning in the village of Novy Khushet in Russia's Republic of Dagestan following a siege operation in which a gunman also died, local law enforcement officials said.

"In the course of an operation...in the village of Novy Khushet, a man who was a member of an illegal armed group barricaded himself in a house. A storming of the house was completed in which the man was killed. A special operations soldier was also killed in the operation, and one slightly wounded," they said.

A fire at the house is being put out, they added.

Dagestan is the scene of frequent armed clashes between federal security agencies and Islamist insurgents.