MOSCOW, July 9 (Reuters) - An armed group raided a village in the southern Russian republic of Ingushetia overnight, killing three men linked to the security forces, Russian news agencies reported on Wednesday.

The raid on Tuesday night adds to growing instability in the republic -- which borders restive Chechnya -- where assassinations, bomb attacks and kidnappings are a weekly occurrence.

"Victims of the attacks include a policeman, a local teacher of basic military skills and an ex-interior ministry officer," Interfax news agency quoted an Interior Ministry spokesman as saying.

News agencies said between 10 and 30 men came from the Caucasus mountains, stole vehicles and drove to the homes of the four men, killing three and injuring the fourth in a small southern village of the republic.

Last year the central government in Moscow boosted the number of its soldiers in Ingushetia and declared a counter-terrorist operation in the region to combat increased rebel activities.

Now military helicopters fly hourly over Ingushetia and the army sweeps the roadsides daily for bombs. Gunmen have tried to kill the unpopular president of Ingushetia and have assassinated one of the republic's top judges. (Writing by James Kilner; Editing by Caroline Drees)

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