Six terrorists killed in Kashmir encounters

Six militants were killed in two separate encounters in north Kashmir Baramulla district on Monday. A defence spokesman said that troops of Rashtriya Rifles and the army surrounded dense Hamam forest area near Rafiabad in north Kashmir Baramulla district on Monday morning. "Militants opened fire at the surrounding troops after they were challenged to surrender triggering a sustained gunfight which ended this evening. Four terrorists were killed in the gunfight," the spokesman said.He said four AK-rifles, one grenade launcher were recovered from the encounter site.

In the second encounter in the same district, troops of Rashtriya Rifles, paramilitary central reserve police force (CRPF) and police surrounded a house in the Lalad village near Sopore town on specific information that a group of militants was hiding inside it."When challenged to surrender, the holed up militants opened fire at the surrounding troops. The fire was returned leading to fierce gunfight which ended this evening after the house in which the militants were hiding was destroyed," a police officer said.

The bodies of the two slain militants, both of them believed to foreigners are lying under the debris which will be cleared on Tuesday, he added.