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Russia's security services killed at least 10 militants overnight in the turbulent North Caucasus region of Dagestan, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.

MOSCOW, Sept 17 (Reuters) - Russia's security services killed at least 10 militants overnight in the turbulent North Caucasus region of Dagestan, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.

Russian forces are fighting a rebel movement in Dagestan based mainly around militant Islam which analysts say could spread into other regions of Russia's north Caucasus.

Officers from Russia's internal security service, the FSB, ambushed the separatists as they transported arms and explosives along a road near the village of Tsmur, Itar-Tass news agency reported.

"Special services fired rocket grenades at a 'Gazelle' minibus, where the militants were located, and as a result 10 militants were destroyed," the FSB's press service in Dagestan was quoted as saying by Itar-Tass.

An FSB officer was injured at the scene and died later in hospital, Itar-Tass reported.

In a separate report, Interfax news agency said 11 militants had been killed.

On Sept. 8 three Russian policemen were killed in a gunfight with militants in the same region.

Situated next to the Caspian Sea and Chechnya, Dagestan has a population of 2.5 million people and is one of Russia's poorest regions.

Analysts say poverty and a heavy-handed crackdown on Muslims are driving young men to the militant movement. (Reporting by Conor Sweeney; Editing by Catherine Evans)