Indian army kills 2 militants in gunfight in Indian-controlled Kashmir

Two militants of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant outfit were killed and an Indian army officer was wounded Monday in a fierce gunfight in Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunfight occurred at village Vilgam of Handwara town in frontier Kupwara district, about 87 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"Two LeT militants were killed in a gunfight with police and army in Vilgam area of Handwara today," said a police spokesman. " On a specific information regarding presence of militants, a cordon and search operation was launched in the area and the search parties came under gunfire, which was retaliated."

The gunfight between the two sides continued until late afternoon.

"The slain militants were identified as foreigners Abu Huriara and Abu Talha. Both of them had infiltrated last year and were involved in cases of militancy," the spokesman said.

An India army officer was wounded in the standoff.

"He suffered minor wounds and was immediately removed to military hospital Drugmulla," said Lt. Col. N. N. Joshi, Indian army spokesman in Srinagar. "His condition is said to be stable now."

Joshi claimed recovery of two assault rifles from gunfight site.

Last year 73 suspected militants were killed in the restive region.

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 a 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.