During the operation, militants fired on the security forces, triggering the encounter around 5.45 am, police said. (Representational)

Four Hizbul Mujahideen militants were killed in an encounter in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district on Saturday morning. J&K Police said the militants were behind recent killings of civilians in south Kashmir.

Joint forces launched a cordon-and-search in Hardmand Guri in Manzgam area of Kulgam district after receiving inputs about the presence of militants in the area, police said. During the operation, militants fired on the security forces, triggering the encounter around 5.45 am, police said.

Four militants were killed and weapons recovered from the site, said Srinagar-based Defense Spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia.

A police statement issued on Saturday night identified the slain militants as Shahid Sadiq Malik, a resident of Kulgam, Mohd Ashraf Malik alias Sadam, a resident of Anantnag, and Waqar Farooq, a resident of Hanan Chawalgam. The identity of the fourth militant is yet to be ascertained.

J&K Police spokesperson in Srinagar said the group had killed four civilians over the last 12 days. “A Hizbul Mujahideen group of 3/4 terrorists was killing civilians over the last 12 days. 4 such killings were done by them in South Kashmir. Police was able to track them down and an operation was launched this morning by Police,SF, Army in which 3 of them have been neutralized,” J&K Police tweeted. The fourth death was later confirmed by the police.