Two-day gunbattle leaves eight dead in held Kashmir

OCCUPIED SRINAGAR: Eight people -- four soldiers and policemen and four suspected separatists -- have been killed in a continuing fierce gunbattle in Indian occupied Kashmir, officials said Wednesday.

The clash began Tuesday when an army patrol was attacked by unknown gunmen in the northern forests of Halmatpura, near the de facto border known as the Line of Control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan, said Indian army spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia.

Three bodies of suspected separatist were retrieved from the area on Tuesday and another on Wednesday as the exchange of fire continued into a second day, police said.

On Wednesday two soldiers and two members of the police special forces were killed as more troops were rushed in to search the forest, a senior police officer told AFP on condition of anonymity.

"At least one more militant is still fighting," the officer said. Kalla confirmed that firing was still going on in the area.