Srinagar/March,20: The death toll toll in the ongoing gunfight between militants and the government forces in Halmatpora area of the frontier district of Kupwara mounted to nine with the killing of two militants and four personnel on Wednesday.
A police offcial said that two Special Operations Group (SOG) personnel and as many army soldiers were killed in the exchange of fire with the militants hiding in Check FatehKhan forests today. Two militants were also killed in the firefight raging since yesterday afternoon today, taking the total number of militants killed in the gunfight to five.
The slain SOG men were identified as Deepak Pandit and Mohd Yusuf. One of the slain Territorial army soldier was identified as Mohammad Ashraf.
Intense firing is on between forces and the militants for past over an hour, said the official.
“The last militant is still responding to the forces intermittently as it appears the gunfight has entered into the last stage,” added the official.
