Three Harkat-ul-Jehadi militants, including a self-styled divisional commander "Dawood", were on Thursday killed in a gunbattle with army troops in Kishtwar district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Acting on a tip off, troops of 26 Rashtriya Rifle launched a search and cordon operation in Chicha-Nagsaini forest area of the district, 260 kms from here, an army officer said.

Militants opened fire on the search party and in the ensuing gunbattle between the two sides, the militants identified as Feroz Ahmed alias Dawood, HUJI Divisional Commander, Nazir Ahmed alias Furkan and Mohmmad Ishaq, were shot dead.

Three AK rifles and a large quantity of arms and ammunition were recovered from their possession. Dawood, one of the oldest surviving militant in the state, joined militancy in 1994 and was trained in Pakistan and Pakistan occupied Kashmir training camps.

He also worked with Lashker-e-Tioba and Hizbul Mujahideen outfits before joining HUJI. He was involved in various terrorist attacks on security forces.