MOSCOW (AFP) - At least eight people were killed on Monday in twin car blasts outside a court building in the southern Russian city of Makhachkala in the restless region of Dagestan, Interfax quoted investigators as saying.

"Within the space of a few minutes, two cars blew up," the news agency quoted a local investigative committee official as saying.

"At least eight people died. The number of people injured is being checked."