A top terrorist commander of the frontline Lashkar-e-Tayiba outfit was among two militants killed in two separate  encounters in north Kashmir on Thursday.

Defence spokesman said troops of the Rashtriya Rifles surrounded a forest area near the north Kashmir Dooraswani village in Kupwara border district late on Wednesday afternoon on specific information about the presence of militants in the area.

"As the troops zeroed in on the hiding militants, they came under heavy fire, which was returned, triggering an encounter, during which one militant was killed," defence spokesman Lieutenant.Colonel JS Brar told rediff.com.

Brar identified the killed terrorist as Abdullah Uni, district commander of the LeT.

Another militant was killed during an encounter in the forest area in Bandipore. Police and RR troops had surrounded the area on Wednesday evening.