The fighting erupted near the Line of Control (LoC) in Tangdhar sector.

Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel Rajesh Kalia said that three militants killed on Monday, on top of the two killed on Sunday,

"We foiled a major infiltration bid," he said. "One soldier was martyred in this operation."

The gunfight started on Sunday after a group of heavily armed militants was challenged by the Army in Tangdhar in Kupwara district.

The spokesman said a search operation was on to find out whether any surviving militant was present in the area.