Indian military says 6 militants killed in two gunfights in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Indian military said Thursday that they had killed six militants in two separate gunfights in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir.

The gunfights, according to army spokesman, broke out in frontier Kupwara district, close to the Line of Control (LoC).

"Today six militants were killed in two separate gunfights in Kupwara," the spokesman said.

"First gunfight broke out in Dobwan forest area of Lolab in the morning, wherein three militants were killed, and later on in the evening another gunfight broke out in Waterkhani forests of Drugmulla, where three more militants were gunned down."

Police and army officials said they had specific inputs about presence of militants at both the places.

Indian police and troopers, according to officials, have not suffered any damage in the stand-off.

The identity of slain militants was being ascertained, police said.

Meanwhile, in the evening, militants hurled two grenades at police patrols in Sopore. However, the grenades missed the intended target and exploded on road without causing any damage.

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

Last week four militants and an Indian military trooper were killed in a similar gunfight in neighbouring Tangdhar area of the district.

Militant groups are engaged in a guerilla war with Indian troops in the region since 1989. Gunfight between the two sides takes place intermittently.

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