Two 'militants' killed in Kashmir

Hundreds of thousands of troops are based in Kashmir

At least two militants have been killed in a gun battle with security forces in Indian-administered Kashmir, an army spokesman says.

The incident took place in the mountainous border district of Poonch.

The fighting happened after the army cordoned off a house in Salwa village where some militants were hiding, the spokesman said.

Both India and Pakistan claim the disputed territory and have fought two wars over it.

The troops threw a cordon around the house on Wednesday evening and its inmates were rescued in the night, the spokesman said.

The two sides then engaged in a gun battle. Later, the army blasted the house.

The army said one of the militants was identified as a commander of the Pakistan-based militant group, Lashkar-e-Taiba.

Lashkar-e-Taiba is the group which India holds responsible for the armed attacks in Mumbai last November in which more than 170 people died.

Troops are combing the area and sifting through the rubble of the destroyed house.