SRINAGAR, Indian-controlled Kashmir, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- At least six militants were killed Friday in a predawn fierce gunfight in restive Indian-controlled Kashmir, police said.

The gunfight erupted early Friday at village Sutkipora of Bijbehara in Anantnag district, about 48 km south of Srinagar city, the summer capital of Indian-controlled Kashmir.

"In a predawn gunfight today here, six militants were killed in a fierce gunfight with joint contingents of police and army," a senior police official posted in Anantnag told Xinhua.

According to the police, the gunfight broke out after government forces cordoned off the area on specific intelligence information suggesting presence of militants.

"No sooner the joint contingents reached near the suspected area, the militants present there fired upon them, thereby triggering a gunfight," the police said.

On Tuesday, four militants and a para army commando were killed while two troopers wounded in a similar gunfight in adjacent Shopian district.

A guerilla war is going on between militants and Indian troopers stationed in the region since 1989.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.