ROSTOV-ON-DON, Russia, July 14, SPA -- A bomb blast killed a policeman and injured six others, while three militants anda soldier died in an overnight shootout in Russia'sperilous North Caucasus region, authorities said Tuesday. The blast occurred in the capital of Chechnya late Monday,the province's Interior Ministry said in a statement. Thehomemade bomb had been attached to a police truck inGrozny. In neighboring Dagestan, three militants were killedduring a two-hour gunbattle with police overnight,Dagestan's Interior Ministry spokesman Mark Tolchinskysaid. A soldier also died in the shootout, he was quoted as saying by the Associated Press. The remaining militants fled into the forest and a searchwas under way. Special forces knew their general locationand were preparing to mortar the area before storming it,Tolchinsky said.--SPA www.spa.gov.sa/684231