Indian troops kill 5 suspected rebels in Kashmir fighting, police say

SRINAGAR, India (AP) — Police in the Indian-controlled portion of Kashmir say government forces have killed five suspected militants in a gunbattle. Indian government forces launched a joint operation on Thursday based on a tip that rebels were hiding in a village in southern Kulgam district. Police say the siege led to a gunbattle that continued until Friday. A police statement says the slain militants had been involved in several attacks on government forces and civilian killings. There was no independent confirmation of the police claims. Nuclear-armed rivals India and Pakistan each administer part of Kashmir, but both claim the territory in its entirety.