5 militants, trooper killed in gunfight in Indian controlled Kashmir

Five militants, including two top commanders of Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) militant outfit, and an Indian army trooper were killed in a day- long fierce gunfight Friday in Indian-controlled Kashmir, officials said Saturday, Xinhua reported.

The gunfight broke out Friday morning at village Maidanpora in Lolab area of frontier Kupwara district, 120 km northwest of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"In yesterday's gunfight, five militants including two of their top commander of LeT outfit were killed," said Lt. Col. J. S. Brar, Indian army spokesman in Srinagar. "Bodies of militants have been recovered from the debris and now searches are going on to seize weapons."

Indian army also suffered a damage while fighting militants, who had taken shelter in a residential house and were firing on positions of army and police.

"We also lost one trooper in the gun battle," said Brar.

Five wounded troopers including an officer of the rank of Major who were Friday airlifted to Srinagar for medical treatment are stated to be stable.

Police spokesman said the gunfight in the area broke out after contingents of army and police cordoned the locality on specific intelligence inputs suggesting presence of militants.

General Officer Commanding Lt. Gen. S. A. Hasnain told a New Delhi based newspaper that this was the biggest success for the army this year.

LeT outfit is accused of carrying out the 2008 Mumbai attack that claimed 165 lives. Army spokesman said LeT has received a serious setback in Lolab with these killings.

Last week, two militants were gunned down in a gunfight in the region.

Police and defense officials maintain that most of the times the operations triggering gunfights are carried out on prior information about presence of militants in specific areas.

A guerrilla war is also going on between militants and the Indian troops stationed in the region since 1989.