Tuesday, November 15 2005 10:20 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Srinagar: Security forces rescued three civilians from a hotel this morning (Nov 15, 2005) before resuming operation to flush out militants holed up in one of the buildings in Lal Chowk area here which witnessed a fierce gun battle yesterday (Nov 14, 2005) that left four persons dead and 13 injured.

"We have rescued three civilians holed up in one of the hotel buildings this morning," a senior CRPF officer told reporters a Lal Chowk, nerve centre of the city, which continued to be cordoned off by the security forces.

While security forces believe that two militants were holed up in the area, Al-Mansoorian militant outfit, which owned responsibility for the attack last evening (Nov 14, 2005), claimed that their members had 'returned safely' after the attack.

DIG CRPF J N Ojha said the operation to flush out militants was suspended last night (Nov 14, 2005) to avoid civilian casualties as many people are believed to have been trapped inside hotels and other establishments in the area.

"Once it is ensured that no civilian is inside, security forces will resume the operation to flush out the militants," he said.

Two CRPF personnel and two civilians were killed and 13 others, including a foreign journalist, were injured when militants struck in the area at around 1515 hours yesterday.