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The Indian army says 16 militants have been killed in an ongoing gun battle with security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir.
Eight soldiers have also died in the fire fight, which has entered its fifth day in Shamsabari, the army said.
Several more militants were believed to be in the area, the army said.
Overall violence has fallen significantly in Indian-administered Kashmir since Delhi and Islamabad began peace talks in 2004.
Line of Control
Defence spokesman Col JS Brar said that the fighting broke out in the higher reaches of the Shamsabari range on Friday morning after troops launched an operation to flush out the militants.
He said troops were carrying out a combing operation to capture remaining militants who were hiding in the area.
The identity of the militants killed in the gun battle is not known, and there has been no word from any militant group.
The BBC's Altaf Hussain in Srinagar says this has been the longest and bloodiest fire fight in Indian-administered Kashmir this year.
A ceasefire between Indian and Pakistani troops along the Line of Control - the de facto border that divides the disputed region between the two countries - is still holding.
However, the peace process has been abeyance since November's attacks in Mumbai (Bombay) which killed at least 179 people and which India blamed on Pakistan-based militants
BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | Fierce gun fight rages in Kashmir
Eight soldiers have also died in the fire fight, which has entered its fifth day in Shamsabari, the army said.
Several more militants were believed to be in the area, the army said.
Overall violence has fallen significantly in Indian-administered Kashmir since Delhi and Islamabad began peace talks in 2004.
Line of Control
Defence spokesman Col JS Brar said that the fighting broke out in the higher reaches of the Shamsabari range on Friday morning after troops launched an operation to flush out the militants.
He said troops were carrying out a combing operation to capture remaining militants who were hiding in the area.
The identity of the militants killed in the gun battle is not known, and there has been no word from any militant group.
The BBC's Altaf Hussain in Srinagar says this has been the longest and bloodiest fire fight in Indian-administered Kashmir this year.
A ceasefire between Indian and Pakistani troops along the Line of Control - the de facto border that divides the disputed region between the two countries - is still holding.
However, the peace process has been abeyance since November's attacks in Mumbai (Bombay) which killed at least 179 people and which India blamed on Pakistan-based militants
BBC NEWS | World | South Asia | Fierce gun fight rages in Kashmir