Srinagar, May 26 (IANS): Security forces and militants were engaged in a gunfight in north Kashmir's Kupwara district near the LoC on Thursday.

A senior police officer told IANS in summer capital Srinagar: "On specific information, the security forces launched a cordon and search operation in Nowgam sector of the Line of Control (LoC) of Kupwara district well within our side of the border."

"As the security forces tightened the cordon, they were fired upon from a hutment in the forest area. The fire was returned after which an encounter (gunfight) started between the security forces and the holed up militants who are believed to be five to six in number," the officer said.

It was not immediately known whether the group of guerrillas engaged in the gunfight was an already existing one in the hinterland or had recently infiltrated into the Indian side from across the LoC.

The LoC is the de facto border between India and Pakistan in divided Jammu and Kashmir.