Three terrorists belonging to Harkat-ul-Jehad Islami were killed by Hizbul Mujahideen ultras in a gunbattle in Doda district on Friday, official sources said.
The three HUJI terrorists, who were about to surrender to security forces in Kishtar belt of Doda district, were intercepted by a group of Hizbul Mujahideens in Lohi Dhar area of Chatroo belt in the district at pre-dawn, they said.
They were asked not to surrender, the sources said adding that after their refusal to comply there was a gunbattle between the two sides in which the HUJI terrorist were killed by those belonging to Hizbul Mujahideen.
Two of the slain terrorist have been identified as codenamed Ismail and Mahviya, they said.
In the Doda-Kishtwar belt, as many as 23 HUJI militants have so far surrendered to the security forces in a major setback to the strength of militant outfits in the area.
While Hizbul Mujahideen with its strength of 200 to 300 militants operating in Doda-Udhampur belt, HUJI comes next with its strength of nearly 130 to 140 militants and Lashker-e-Toiba (LET) over 100 operating in the area, they said.