Three unidentified militants were killed on Thursday in an encounter with security forces in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, the army said.

Acting on specific information about the presence of militants in Putshai area of Lolab in the district, security forces cordoned off the area and began a search operation on Thursday, an army official said.

He said as the search operation was ongoing, militants who were hiding there fired upon the forces resulting in a gun battle.

Three militants have been killed in the operation so far, the official said.

He said the identity of the slain militants could not be immediately ascertained.

The operation was still ongoing.