At least seven people have been killed in a gun battle between government forces and armed separatists in Indian-administered Kashmir, the local police say.
Four suspected fighters, two army soldiers and one police officer were killed, K Rajendran, an inspector-general of police, said on Sunday.
Government forces and the fighters had been engaged in fierce fighting since Thursday near the village of Bhatidhar, about 180km southwest of Srinagar.
Fighting erupted after Indian forces conducting a search operation inside a forest came under fire, Colonel D K Kachari, an Indian army spokesman, said.
Both India and Pakistan claim Kashmir, which has been a disputed territory since the two countries gained independence from Britain in 1947.
The region has also witnessed violent uprisings against Indian rule since early 1990s. Despite Indian attempts to quell violence, the conflict rages, killing more than 68,000 people till date.
Leave Your Comments