Four soldiers, one militant killed in Kashmir gunfights (Third Lead)

At least four soldiers and one militant was killed on Monday as two separate gun battles raged in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district.

Four soldiers were killed in a gunfight with terrorists in Rajwar area, while a terrorist was killed in another encounter in Lolab, an army statement said.

A senior police officer here told IANS that the soldiers were killed in a still raging gun battle with militants in Hafruda forests of Kupwara near the Line of Control (LoC), which divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

The militant was killed in Darpora village of Kupwara, he added.

As per Army officials, based on specific information regarding presence of some terrorists in the Hafruda forest in Rajwar, a joint operation was launched by the army and Jammu and Kashmir Police on Sunday evening.

Around midnight, as the security forces approached the suspected area where the terrorists were reportedly hiding, they came under heavy fire, in which four soldiers were killed.

According to the police officer, the group of militants "had infiltrated into the Kashmir Valley recently".

Officials said that the other gunfight in Lolab ensued after a tip off regarding presence of some terrorists in the area.

"The areas of both gunfights have been cordoned off with additional troops inducted and combing operations are continuing," an official said.