Jammu: Army today (Feb 13, 2004) foiled an infiltration bid killing two intruders near the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir where seven more ultras were gunned down by security forces since last night, official sources said.

Noticing a group of three to four militants infiltrating into this side of the LoC near Bhimber Gali area in Poonch district in the wee hours, troops cordoned off the area and launched a surgical operation, they said.

On being challenged, the militants opened fire on the troops and in the ensuing gun-battle two ultras were killed, the sources said. The operation was on.

In another gun-battle early this morning, troops shot dead three militants in Phagla forests of Surankote tehsil of Poonch, they said. The gunfight broke out at around 07:45 hours (IST) when troops challenged the terrorists.

Five AK rifles, nine magazines, 13 hand-grenades, 12 IEDs, 297 rounds, three radio sets, 17 detonators, 21 fuses, 11 UBGL grenades and one rocket were recovered in the two operations, the sources said.

Security forces killed a self-styled battalion commander of Hizbul Mujahideen, Tariq Ahmad Khan, in a gunfight at Mattan in Anantnag district, they said. An AK rifle, a wireless set and four hand-grenades were recovered from him.

In another encounter, security forces killed three militants of Hizbul, including its "launching commander", after a heavy exchange of fire at Wangam-Reshipora in Handwara area, the sources said. The commander has been identified as Rafiq Ahmad Bakarwal alias Sajjad and his two associates as Mushtaq Ahmad Malla and Ashig Hussain Parray.