MOSCOW: Russia's Anti-Terrorism Committee said on Sunday that 10 militants who had sworn allegiance to Islamic State had been killed in a special operation in a southern Russian republic, Russian news agencies reported.

"During the active phase of a special operation near Nalchik, according to preliminary information, 10 militants were neutralised," the committee said, Interfax reported.

"They were all members of armed groups that had sworn allegiance to the international terrorist organisation ISIL."