The authorities in the Indian Administered Kashmir say eight people, including five militants and an army soldier were killed in separate incidents of violence in the valley.

A Defence Ministry spokesman said five Kashmiri militants were killed in the Hufdoo forests in Kupwara district, after an army search party came under attack.

He said an army soldier was also killed in the clash, which continued for five hours.

He said another militant was killed in a clash in Sumbal, about twenty-five kilometres from Srinagar.

The authorities say a worker of the governing National Conference Party was killed by suspected militants.