7 Armenians injured in Pyatigorsk café blast in Russia

At least 27 people have been injured after a suspected car bomb exploded outside a cafe in the North Caucasus region of southern Russia.

Among the injured are also 7 Armenians: Armenuhy Muradyan, Lianna Stepanyan, Shushanik Manukyan, Mikhail Hayryan and Evgard Avanesov, Arthur Hayrapetyan and Grigori Babajanyan.

The blast happened in the spa town of Pyatigorsk, in the Stavropol region. Two of the injured are critically hurt.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has urged officials to take all possible action to find those responsible.

Hours earlier, a suicide bomber in the neighbouring region of North Ossetia killed a police officer.

Pyatigorsk is the capital of the North Caucasus Federal District, which includes the volatile republics of Dagestan, Chechnya and Ingushetia.

The blast happened about 1615 (1215 GMT).

It is not known if the attack is connected to the earlier suicide bombing about 150km away in North Ossetia. According to BBC

New suicide bombings have become increasingly common in the North Caucasus during the past two years.

In May, a bomb killed six people and injured about 40 outside a concert hall in the city of Stavropol.

The North Caucasus has long suffered Islamist and separatist violence. Mr Medvedev has said that ending acute poverty in the region is vital for restoring stability.