SRINAGAR, Jan 21: A string of attacks and gunfights in the last 24 hours killed nine people, including a civilian bystander and two villagers, in occupied Kashmir, police said on Tuesday.

Suspected militants fired a grenade at a police post in Rajouri district on Monday night, but it missed its target and hit the home of civilian Mohammad Sharief, police said.

Sharief was killed and four family members who lived with him in Kandi village were injured, two seriously.

In Doda district, militants overnight killed two members of a militia, police said.

Soldiers backed by police killed two militants on Monday in the village of Trespora Uttrasu, Anantnag district, police said.

A house where the militants had been holed up before troops rushed in was destroyed during the four-hour gunfight, which spread panic among villagers, the spokesman said.

Police identified one of the slain militants as Saleem Khan, alias Hyder, of neighbouring Pathribal village. Two other suspected militants were killed on Tuesday in Aragam, near Bandipora township, 60 kilometres north of Srinagar, police said.

A landmine also exploded on Tuesday in Anantnag district at Nawa village, damaging an army vehicle and injuring three soldiers, according to police.

The Hizbul Mujahideen claimed responsibility and boasted it had killed or injured more than ten soldiers.

The movement said it used 50 kilograms of explosives in the ambush. —AFP