<p> Two militants and a "hardcore" militant associate were killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said.</p>.<p>Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Goripora area of Awantipora in the south Kashmir district in the early hours of Saturday after receiving specific information about the presence of some militants there, a police official said.</p>.<p>The search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon the forces, who retaliated, he said.</p>.<p>In the ensuing gunfight, two militants and one "hardcore" associate of the militants were killed, the official said.</p>.<p>He said searches were going on in the area and further details were awaited.</p>
<p> Two militants and a "hardcore" militant associate were killed in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, police said.</p>.<p>Security forces launched a cordon-and-search operation in the Goripora area of Awantipora in the south Kashmir district in the early hours of Saturday after receiving specific information about the presence of some militants there, a police official said.</p>.<p>The search operation turned into an encounter after the militants fired upon the forces, who retaliated, he said.</p>.<p>In the ensuing gunfight, two militants and one "hardcore" associate of the militants were killed, the official said.</p>.<p>He said searches were going on in the area and further details were awaited.</p>