Putin dismisses head of Russia's troubled Dagestan region

Russian President Vladimir Putin smiles during a ceremony, in which the diplomatic credentials of newly appointed ambassadors were accepted, at the Kremlin in Moscow January 24, 2013.

MOSCOW (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin has dismissed the head of Russia's southern Dagestan province, the Kremlin said on Monday, signaling concern over mounting insurgency violence and political rivalries in the mainly Muslim region.

Putin appointed Magomedsalam Magomedov to a role in the presidential administration, the Kremlin statement said, removing him from the post of provincial head that he had held since being appointed in 2010.

Ramzan Abdulatipov, a ruling United Russian party deputy from the region in Russia's lower house of parliament, was named to replace him as acting head.

Throughout the 12 years since Putin rose to power and crushed a separatist revolt in Chechnya, Russia has battled a simmering insurgency across its mainly Muslim Caucasus mountain provinces.

Dagestan is now the epicenter of militant violence in region, where suicide bombings, sniper attacks on officials and shootouts at road checkpoints area near daily occurrence.

(Reporting by Alissa de Carbonnel; Editing by Alison Williams)