The Indian Army on Saturday said four militants and three Indian soldiers were killed during an infiltration bid in Jammu and Kashmir’s Nowgam sector. An Army official said security personnel detected suspicious movement across the Line of Control and called for reinforcements, The New Indian Express reported.

“In the ensuing gunfight, two militants and two soldiers were killed,” the official said. In a statement issued on Saturday night, the official had said the intense operation was still underway.

The development follows Defence Minister Arun Jaitley’s forward area visit along the Line of Control in North Kashmir. Top Army officials had briefed Jaitley about the situation in the region and the steps being taken to thwart infiltration attempts. “Our soldiers are fully confident that they would not allow any form of infiltration to take places in their areas from across the LoC. The aggressive domination and readiness of troops for befitting response to any misadventure by enemy is very satisfying,” Jaitley had said.

In April, Commander of Srinagar-based 15 Corps, Lt General JS Sandhu had said that around 150 militants are waiting near the Line of Control in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir to enter Jammu and Kashmir. Sandhu had said that fewer attempts to infiltrate were recorded this year, compared to 2015. “This year, till now, we have been able to stop them [infiltrators],” he said.