Five Lashkar militants killed in Kashmir encounter

Srinagar: Five militants of Lashker-e-Toiba (LeT) were killed today in two different encounters in the frontier district of Kupwara in north Kashmir.

The encounters took place at a time when Armny Chief General V K Singh was in the valley.

A defence ministry spokesman, Lt Colonel J S Brar said based on a specific information about the presence of militants at village Laribal and nearby Rajwar forests at Handwara, troops of 21 Rashtriya Rifles (RR) and the Jammu and Kashmir Police launched a joint operation at 1000 hrs.

The militants were asked to surrender, he said adding however, they continued firing with automatic weapons.

Security forces also retaliated and in the ensuing encounter, five militants were killed.