1 trooper, 2 militants killed in Indian-controlled Kashmir gunfight

Two militants and an Indian military trooper were killed, and another trooper was wounded Friday in a gunfight in Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said.

The gunfight broke out at Boban Watsar forest of Handwara in frontier Kupwara district, about 95 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Two militants were today gunned down in a gun battle with army and police in Handwara," Col N N Joshi, an Indian military spokesman said. "One soldier was martyred in the operation while as another has been wounded."

According to Joshi, a search operation in the forest area was launched on information suggesting presence of the militants.

Officials claimed recovery of two assault rifles and some ammunition from the gunfight site.

On Thursday, the military said it killed three infiltrators in a gunfight near Line of Control (LoC) in frontier Poonch district.

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.

Last month, a military officer and militant were killed, while two troopers and a policeman were wounded in a prolonged gunfight in Manigah forests of Kupwara. Reports said militants managed to break off the cordon.

A guerilla 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.

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. Endit