Four militants were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, said the police, according to PTI. The identities of the militants are yet to be ascertained but it is suspected that they were affiliated to Hizbul Mujahideen.

“We have neutralised four terrorists and recovered four weapons from them,” said J&K General Operation Commanding Victor Force A Sengupta. “Search for the fifth is on.”

The encounter in Hardmand Guri village in Kulgam ensued after the security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation. “This operation was based on a credible police input,” said an unidentified police spokesperson, adding that weapons were seized from the scene of the encounter. The house in which the militants were holed up was demolished too.

The group was responsible for killing several civilians in the last 12 days. “Four such killings were done by them in South Kashmir,” a police spokesperson told Hindustan Times. “Police were able to track them down and an operation was launched this morning by the police, security forces, army in which three of them have been neutralised.”