World Bulletin / News Desk

Two people were killed on Thursday in a gunfight with the security forces in south Kashmir's Shopian district. 

A senior police officer told a news agency that security forces surrounded a house in Pinjora village, 60 km from here, Thursday morning following information that a group of people were hiding inside.

"When the holed up militants were asked to surrender, they started firing at the surrounding troops. In the ongoing encounter, two militants have been killed." Vijay Kumar, deputy inspector general of police said. 

Kashmir, a Muslim-majority Himalayan region, is held by India and Pakistan in parts and claimed in full by both. The two countries have fought three full-fledged wars – in 1948, 1965 and 1971 – since they were partitioned in 1947, two of which were fought over Kashmir.

Since 1989, Kashmiri resistance groups in IHK have been fighting against Indian rule for independence or for unification with neighboring Pakistan.

More than 70,000 people have reportedly been killed in the conflict so far.