Kupwara gunfight: Army claims killing four militants; police says no body retrieved yet

Srinagar: Army on Tuesday claimed to have killed four militants in an ongoing gunfight in Halmatpora Check forests in frontier district of Kupwara, even as Jammu and Kashmir Police said that no body has been retrieved so far from the site of the gunfight.
A spokesman said that four militants have so far been killed in the firefight that broke out in the area around 3 pm Tuesday. “The operation is going on,” he said, adding that the identity of the slain is being ascertained.
However, a senior police official of the district said they can’t confirm any killings yet.
When contacted SSP Kupwara said ‘I can’t confirm to you if four militants have been killed so far as no body has been retrieved so far from the site of the gunfight’. He further said that operation might prolong as the militants have taken shelter in the forest area and are responding to the fire from the forces intermittently.
Earlier, a senior police official said the militants hiding in the forest area near a human habitation fired upon a joint team of Special Operations Group (SOG) of Jammu and Kashmir Police and army soldiers of 41 RR around 3pm.
Forces retaliated to the firing, triggering off a gunfight.
Further details are awaited.