Soldier killed in Kashmir gunfight

A soldier was killed Monday in a gunfight between militants and the security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, police said.

The soldier was killed when the militants fired at a search party of the security forces in Handwara, a senior police officer said here.

"A jawan (soldier) of 30 Rashtriya Rifles was killed when militants opened fire during a search operation in Wanderbala forest area in Handwara this (Monday) morning," he said.

"The operation was launched following an information about presence of militants in the area," police said.