14 killed in Kashmir shoot-outs

Three rebels and two civilians, including a woman, were killed during an overnight gun-battle in Koel Muqam village, near Bandipora town, 60 km north of summer capital Srinagar, police said.

The encounter erupted when troops arrived in the area on a tip-off and militants hiding in residential houses opened fire.

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Two houses were also damaged during the 12-hour long gunfight.

Three more rebels were killed Tuesday in the border village of Kreeri in Rajouri district, 180km west of the winter capital Jammu, as they were trying to cross into Indian Kashmir, police said.

"The moment the Indian soldiers, guarding the LoC (Line of Control), spotted three militants having sneaked into the Indian territory they were ordered to halt," a spokesman said.

"The rebels opened fire and the troops retaliated killing all the three on the spot. Large quantities of arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants."

Three other militants were killed Tuesday by Indian troops in Mughal Maidan in the Kishtwar area of the southern Doda district and two were killed in the southern district of Poonch late Monday, police said.

Meanwhile, suspected rebels shot dead civilian Zahoor Ahmed in the village of Haripari, near Tral town, 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of Srinagar, a police spokesman said.

"We are ascertaining why he was targetted," he said.

Muslims rebels fighting Indian rule in Kashmir have increased attacks on political workers and alleged police informers since Chief Minister Mufti Mohammed Sayeed completed one year in office on November 2.

Since then five political workers, including three from Sayeed's Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have been killed.