Two militants, jawan killed in Kashmir gunbattle

Srinagar: Two militants and an Army jawan were killed in the latest gunbattle along the LoC in Kupwara, taking the number of militants killed in the six-day-long counter-infiltration operations in the north Kashmir district to 13.

A fresh encounter took place between militants and security forces in Tandghar sector of Kupwara during the night, resulting in the death of a militant, a defence spokesman said. The slain militant`s associate was killed on Friday after the troops observed them trying to sneak into the Valley from across the border under the cover of darkness, the spokesman said. He said a soldier also lost his life in the operation which was still continuing when last reports came in. One AK 47 rifle, three magazines and three sleeping bags were recovered from the scene of the latest encounter, he said. The spokesman said an Army search party recovered body of one more militant from Hafruda forest along the LoC in Kupwara today, raising the number of militants killed in the operation to six. Five militants were killed when army foiled an infiltration bid in Hafruda forest area of Handwara on Thursday. Earlier, four infiltrating militants were killed in Macchil Sector on Tuesday while one ultra was shot dead in Keran sector of the district on Monday. Army has been put on high alert along the LoC in the Valley following intelligence inputs about presence of large number of militants at the launching pads across the LoC. The alert was sounded immediately after the troops shot dead five infiltrating militants in Keran Sector on July 9. PTI