Fighting 'continues' in Kashmir

The attack happened after a four year lull in fighting in the area

Suspected militants have fired on security forces in Indian-controlled Kashmir, a day after eight people were killed in armed violence in the region.

The army said they had recovered the body of a third militant during search operations in Samba district where Sunday's violence took place.

Four civilians, a soldier and two militants died in the fighting.

There has been a big reduction in fighting in recent years, with an India-Pakistan peace process under way.

Correspondents say Sunday's attack is the first on such a scale for nearly four years in the region.

Indian army spokesman SD Goswami said suspected militants had fired on security forces carrying out a search operation in the cantonment area on Monday morning.

He said the soldiers had returned fire and there has been a "lull after that".

Mr Goswami said a body of a third militant had been found during the operations.

The violence over the weekend followed an attack by militants on a locality in Samba town, south of Jammu, and close to the Line of Control (LoC) that divides the Indian-administered and Pakistani-administered parts of Kashmir.

Infiltration

Senior police official Farooq Khan said the two militants were sighted by a local resident early on Sunday.

The militants opened fire on being questioned about their motives by the resident, killing him and his wife on the spot.

On hearing of the incident, security forces cordoned off the area and fought a pitched battle with the militants, who took shelter in a house and continued firing.

A senior photojournalist working with a local English-language newspaper, Ashok Sodhi, was killed when a bullet fired by the militants hit him while he was taking pictures, the police said.

A soldier was killed and two were injured in the fighting, which continued through the day.

Earlier, on Friday, Indian paramilitary forces claimed that they had foiled an attempt by suspected militants from neighbouring Pakistan to enter the region.

Indian security agencies believe that some militants may have succeeded in crossing over and were behind Sunday's attack.

Indian officials say Islamist militants are still trying to cross into the area to sustain the insurgency that has gone on for nearly 20 years.

Militant groups have been fighting against Indian rule in Kashmir since 1989 and the conflict has cost more than 60,000 lives.