MOSCOW, Jan 22 (Reuters) - Gunmen ambushed a minibus in the south Russian republic of Ingushetia killing one soldier and injuring three army officers on Tuesday, news agencies reported.

Also in Nazran, the largest town in mainly Muslim Ingushetia which borders Chechnya, a car carrying explosives blew up killing the driver, news agencies reported.

Interfax said the three soldiers injured in the ambush were a captain, major and lieutenant-colonel.

Nazran is the focus of violence in the north Caucasus where rebels have fought Russian soldiers in two wars since 1994.

A Kremlin-backed former rebel has brought most of Chechnya under his control dampening fighting and pushing Muslim rebels towards neighbouring Ingushetia and Dagestan where they still attack police and army outposts. (Writing by James Kilner; editing by Janet Lawrence)

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