Four militants of the Hizbul Mujaheedin outfit were killed after a night-long encounter in south Kashmir Anantnag district on Thursday.

Police said troops of Rashtriya Rifles and the Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir police surrounded Aowgam village near the south Kashmir town of Kulgam, 75 km from Srinagar, on specific information that a group of HM militants were hiding in the village.

"As the troops moved in, they came under heavy fire from the militants hiding in a house. Reinforcements were immediately rushed to the area and the house was surrounded," a senior police officer said in Srinagar.

"The militants were engaged in a sustained gun battle, which continued for the entire night and ended early today. Bodies of four militants were recovered from the house, which was destroyed in the encounter," he added.