Gunfight between militants, troops rages in Indian-controlled Kashmir

A gunfight between militants and Indian troops Wednesday broke out in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunfight erupted at village Wandakhpora near Awantipora in Pulwama district, about 29 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"A gunfight has started at Wandakhpora in Pulwama just now,"a senior police official posted in the area told Xinhua."Indian army and police are jointly trying to take on militants present there."

The official said they have information about presence of three to four militants in the area.

The exchange of gunfire between militants and troops has begun and was going on until last reports came in.

"An exchange of heavy fire is going on between the two sides inside a plant nursery," Mohammed Younis, a local said.

Earlier in the morning militants fired upon troops at Hadoora village of northern Ganderbal district. Following the brief exchange, militants managed to escape.

However, no damage or causality was reported in the exchange. Reports said militants left behind an assault rifle while fleeing from the area.

A guerilla 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.

On Sunday, a militant was killed and a trooper wounded in fierce gunfight in the restive region. Endit