Six Russian servicemen have been killed and several more injured in a militant attack on a Russian National Guard base in the Chechen Republic.

The incident took place near the Chechen village of Naurskaya, 70 kilometers north-west of Grozny.

According to a statement posted on the Russian National Guard website, “around 2:30am on March 24 a group of armed militants attempted to enter the territory of one of the military camps of the Russian National Guard.”

The militant group was spotted by an army detachment, which confronted it. Six attackers were killed. At the same time, six servicemen died in the shootout too while several more were wounded.

The National Guard says the militants took advantage of the thick morning fog for the attack.

Last December, militants attacked the capital of the Chechen republic, Grozny, targeting policemen.

After a day-long operation and a fierce shootout in the center of the capital, police were able to kill all seven assailants.

The standoff was caught on camera by witnesses, with police seen raining fire upon the gunmen.