3 Indian military troopers, militant killed in separate gunfights in Indian-controlled Kashmir

At least three Indian military troopers and a militant were killed Monday in two separate gunfights in Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said.

The gunfights broke out in frontier Kupwara district, about 110 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian- controlled Kashmir.

"A fierce gunfight is going on inside Hafruda forests of Handwara town and we have lost three troopers fighting militants there," Indian military spokesman Col. N N Joshi told Xinhua. "The gunfight is going on since last evening and further details are awaited."

According to Joshi, the number of militants fighting military inside the forest area was unknown.

Officials said the stand-off began Sunday evening after military launched searches in area on intelligence inputs suggesting presence of a group of militants.

Meanwhile, a militant was gunned down in Lolab area of the district this morning."Gunfight has ended there and we have recovered an assault rifle from the gunfight site," Joshi said. " We have not suffered any damage at Lolab."

On Sunday, two foreign militants were killed and a trooper wounded in a similar gunfight in the region.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troops stationed in Indian- controlled Kashmir since 1989. Gunfights between the two sides take place intermittently across the region.

New Delhi accuses Islamabad of sending armed militants to Indian-controlled Kashmir. However, Islamabad says it only provides moral and political support to Kashmiris.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir. Endi