Three soldiers of the Indian Army have died and five militants killed on Sunday during an anti-infiltration operation in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kupwara district, officials said.

Sources said four more soldiers have been injured during the operation to flush out infiltrators along the Line of Control (LoC) in Keran sector of the district, which was launched two days ago.

The army said the operation is still underway.

“Unfortunately, two more soldiers succumbed to their injuries and others are presently undergoing treatment. Total three soldiers have been martyred,” Colonel Rajesh Kalia, the spokesperson of the army, said.

“Despite prevailing inclement weather conditions, casualties have been evacuated,” Col Kalia said.

The army had said earlier in the day that alert troops braving inclement weather and hostile terrain had killed the five militants in the operation in Keran sector.

The five, believed to be part of a group of infiltrators who had recently sneaked into the Valley, were attempting to infiltrate across LoC taking advantage of the bad weather, it said.

The army said it has killed nine militants , including the five infiltrators, in the last 24 hours. Four militants were killed in Batapura of south Kashmir’s Kulgam on Saturday.

“Four militants who were involved in the killing of innocent civilians were eliminated at Batapura area of south Kashmir on April 4,” Col Kalia said.