Security forces have gunned down three terrorists who were holed up in a house in Ganderbal area of Central Kashmir.

Senior Superintendent of Police Abdul Razzak said the terrorists were killed on Wednesday night after a 10 hour operation. Search operations are still going on in the area, he added.

An official spokesman said troops of 5 and 15 Rashtriya Rifles and Special Operation Group of Jammu and Kashmir [Images] police had launched a joint operation at village Pathipora-Saloora, about half a kilometer away from the main Srinagar-Baltal-Amarnath route on Wednesday morning.

As the security forces were sealing the area, terrorists entered the house of one Ghulam Nabi Bhat. However, security forces immediately tightened the cordon around the house and ordered the terrorists to surrender.

A police spokesman said police and security forces rescued about 250 residents, including women and children, from the area to safer places. Sharp shooters later took positions in the nearby houses.

However, when a security forces party tried to storm the house, the terrorists opened fire. The gun-fire was effectively returned by the security forces.