Nine militants, mostly belonging to Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayiiba and Jaish-e-Mohammad, and three army soldiers were killed on Saturday in separate gunbattles in Jammu and Kashmir.

The security forces smashed a militant hideout seizing a huge cache of arms and ammunition.

Six militants and three army personnel were killed in an encounter in Bandipora area in Baramulla district in North Kashmir, officials said.

The slain militants belonged to Pakistan-based JeM and LeT, they said.

The encounter, lasting seven hours, ensued when security forces raided Bazapathri area in the district following specific information about presence of militants there, the officials said.     

Two LeT militants, including a self-styled commander of the outfit, were killed in a gunbattle with security forces at Banihal in Jammu region's Doda district.

The killed militants were identified as Mohammad Rafiq, the 'area commander' and Roshan Din.

In another gunfight in the same district, a Hizbul Mujahideen ultra, identified as Shakeel Ahmed from Pakistan, was killed at Banihal.

Security forces busted a militant hideout in Bandipora area in Baramulla district and recovered a large quantity of arms and ammunition.

The seizure included five IEDs, 30 rifle grenades, 47 detonators, six rocket projectile guns, an AK assault rifle and a Pika gun with 400 rounds.

An explosion near a college at Nagri in Doda district destroyed window panes of the building.