Soldier, guerrilla killed in Kashmir gunfight

A soldier and a Hizbul Mujahideen guerrilla were killed in a gun battle on Wednesday in a village in Jammu and Kashmir's Baramulla district, officials said.

Security forces surrounded a house in Ladoora (Rafiabad) village early on Wednesday morning after learning that militants were hiding there. This triggered a fierce gun battle between the two sides.

The soldier from the Rashtriya Rifles and a militant died in the gun battle, a police official told IANS.

The slain militant was later identified as Riyaz Ahmed, a resident of Sopore.

Officials later said he was the only militant holed up inside the house.