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The state administration rushed National Security Guards to Shangus late on Monday, where army troops surrounded a mosque in the southern Kashmir district of Anantnag.
A senior police officer told rediff.com that till late evening, three militants were killed in the more than 24-hour gun-battle between militants and security forces, who have laid siege to the mosque at Shangus, 67 km from Srinagar.
From early morning, heavy army reinforcements were sent to Shangus and all exit routes leading to the besieged mosque were sealed.
No movement was allowed in the area, where the militants and security forces exchanged intermittent fire.
"They are bringing army soldiers in buses and trucks to Shangus. Troops have encircled the area," a resident said over the telephone from Achabal.
The troops have taken positions in houses adjacent to the mosque at Shangus.
A senior police officer said, "We are yet to receive orders. The decision to storm the mosque or lift the siege will be taken by the authorities in Srinagar."
The army and the Special Operations Group Sunday afternoon raided Shangus on information about the presence of militants. As the troops mounted searches, they came under fire, resulting in the death of a special police officer.
The militants, hiding in a house, opened heavy fire on a joint raiding party and later entered the mosque.
Troops immediately laid a siege and asked the militants to surrender. However, the militants opened fire on the soldiers.
"We are hearing the sound of gun fire. There is lot of tension and many residents have shifted," Arshad, a local resident, said over the telephone.
Last month, troops had lifted a cordon around a mosque at Shopian in Pulwama district and two militants were given safe passage.
Last Friday, six women died and 50 others were wounded in an explosion at the tomb of Sheikh Nur Din, the patron saint of Kashmir, at Char-e-Sharief.
Meanwhile, two army soldiers of the 21 Rashtriya Rifles were killed in an exchange of fire with militants at Zachaldara in northern Kupwara district.
Sources said militants opened fire on army troops, who had laid an ambush.
Militants late Sunday evening fired at a woman SPO, Rafiqa Bano, at Machu, on the outskirts of the city.
She was rushed to hospital.
Militants also forced entry into a house at Batpora Magam in northen Kupwara district on Sunday night and shot dead the house owner, Mohammad Sultan Mir and his son, Mohammad Youssuf Mir.
His other son, who was seriously wounded, was admitted to hospital.
You may also want to see Special Operations Group camp attacked
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