Russian authorities say the head of prison services in Dagestan and his bodyguard have been shot in the volatile region's capital city.

Police say the official will survive. His bodyguard was seriously wounded in Thursday's drive by shooting in Makhachkala.

The shooting comes less than a month after a deadly attack on another high ranking Dagestan prison official.

Islamist rebels have been fighting for an independent Islamic state in Russia's predominantly Muslim North Caucasus. The battles have continued after two Russian wars against the separatists in Chechnya.

Chechen rebels claimed responsibility for a suicide bombing at Moscow's Domodedovo airport in January that killed nearly 40 people.