Four guerrillas killed in Kashmir gunfight

SRINAGAR - Four separatist guerrillas were killed in a gunfight with security forces in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district Thursday, an army official said.

Lt. Col. J.S. Brar, spokesman of the Indian Army’s Srinagar-based 15th corps, said: “On a specific tip off about a group of terrorists hiding in the forest area near Tral town, an operation was launched by the troops of Rashtriya Rifles today (Thursday) morning.”

“The approaching troops came under heavy automatic gunfire from the hiding terrorists, triggering a gunfight. Four terrorists have been killed in the operation and a heavy cache of arms and ammunition recovered from their possession. The group to which the slain terrorists belonged is being ascertained,” he said.

Security forces did not sustain any casualty in the operation which was conducted in the forest away from populated areas, he said.

A search is still on in the area, the spokesman said.