SRINAGAR, April 6: Eight Mujahideen, two Indian soldiers and two civilians were killed in clashes in occupied Kashmir on Friday night and Saturday.

A freedom fighter and an army soldier were killed during a seven-hour gunbattle at Wagub village near Sopore town, 55kms north of Srinagar, a police spokesman said.

A civilian also died in the fighting, and one house was reduced to rubble in a fire set off during the encounter that ended on Saturday morning.

Two members of the Lashkar-i-Taiba were shot dead during a similar encounter at Rawalpora village near Pulwama township, 40kms south of Srinagar, police claimed. Indian troops claimed killing five more Mujahideen in three encounters.

Police said Mujahideen also shot dead a police constable in the central district of Budgam.

Nearly 100 people have died in occupied Kashmir since Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said on March 18 he planned to visit the held state.—AFP