Alwaght-Two people have been killed in the Indian-administered Kashmir in a fierce exchange of fire between New Delhi forces and a group of armed men.
Gharib Das, the Indian deputy inspector general of police for the disputed region, said on Wednesday that the violent clashes took place in the village of Ladoora northwest of the main city of Srinagar.
The Indian security official added that, "one militant was killed and we had a fatal casualty of a soldier in the initial stage of the gun battle."
The latest fighting comes days after Indian forces claimed that they killed at least four suspected fighters on August 27 and captured another during a day-long battle in forests in the same troubled area.
The Muslim-majority region of Kashmir has been the scene of violent clashes in recent years. Indian army soldiers are in constant clashes with the fighters seeking independence in the troubled region.
Tensions have been high between the two nuclear-armed rivals since a meeting between their national security advisors was cancelled recently. India said the meeting should solely include discussions about terrorism, but Pakistan wanted the issue of Kashmir also included.
The two nuclear-armed archrivals have a history of uneasy relations and regularly exchange fire over the highly militarized Line of Control.
Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan, but claimed in full by both, since the two countries gained independence from Britain in 1947.
The two countries have fought two of their three wars over their competing claims to Kashmir, though a 2003 ceasefire has largely held despite small but regular firefights.