Three Lashkar-e-Tayiba [Images] terrorists were killed in a day-long gunfight in the mountainous Kishtwar district of Jammu region on Thursday.

A senior police officer said that troops of 11 Rashtriya Rifles and police jointly surrounded a shepherd's hut in the forest area of Sarawan in the Kishtwar district last evening, after reports that terrorists were hiding inside it.

 "After an overnight cordon, the terrorists were challenged in the morning to surrender. However, they opened fire at the surrounding police and army troops, that triggered an encounter," Superintendent of Police, Kishtwar, Haseeb Mughal told rediff.com.

"The encounter ended late this afternoon after the three hiding militants were killed," he said. Mughal said the three terrorists have been identified as belonging to Lashkare Taiba outfit. Arms and ammunition including one AK-47 rifle, three magazines and six grenades have been recovered from the encounter site.