At least four militants and two Indian army troopers were killed Sunday in two different gunfights in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said.
Four militants and an Indian army trooper were killed in an ongoing fierce gunfight inside Kalaroos forest area of frontier Kupwara district, about 110 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.
In a similar gunfight an Indian army trooper was killed fighting another group of militants in Keran sector of Kupwara, close to line-of-control (LoC), dividing Kashmir.
"The army today eliminated four militants in the Kalaroos of Kupwara district," Lt Col N N Joshi, Indian military spokesman told Xinhua. "During the operation one of our soldiers Naik Neeraj Kumar Singh laid down his life fighting militants."
According to Joshi the operation in the area was under way and was carried out on specific intelligence inputs suggesting presence of militants in the forest area. Reports said army had information that a group of seven militants were present in the forest area.
Joshi said another trooper Rahul Kumar was killed Saturday night battling a group of militants in the Keran sector.
Indian army has been engaged in a stand-off with militants in the sector since last fortnight and so far four militants have been killed there.
Last week two militants were killed in a gunfight in Furkian Gali area of Kupwara district.
LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.
A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian-controlled Kashmir since 1989. The gunfight between the two sides takes place intermittently across the region.
The 2013 saw 38 percent increase in violence compared to 2012. The violence claimed 204 lives in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir. Of the 204 killed, 48 were civilians, 73 suspected militants, one unidentified and 82 Indian troopers, report complied by a rights group said.