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Seven Army personnel, including an officer, and three policemen were killed in a pre-dawn attack by militants on an Army camp in Uri area of north Kashmir's Baramulla district which is going to polls on December 9.
Three militants were also among those killed in the attack that comes just four days ahead of third phase of Assembly polls in Uri and six other constituencies of Baramulla district.
Militants carried out the attack on the army camp at Mohra in Uri tehsil at around 3.10 a.m and engaged the security forces in a fierce gunbattle, police officials said.
Uri, which is near the Line of Control, is about 100 km northwest of Srinagar, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi due to campaign on Monday.
Official sources said seven Army personnel including an officer, three policemen and three militants were among those killed in the attacks.
In Delhi, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said, "We have killed three of them (militants) and we will eliminate the remaining.The ones who are left are trapped."
"It is possible that this has happened because of elections," he said.
Police said at least six militants had infiltrated into the Valley from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir recently.
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said the attack was a 'desperate attempt' to disrupt peace and normalcy.
"Once again shows the desperate levels militants will go to disrupt peace and normalcy," he tweeted.
Omar said Jammu and Kashmir Police and army were responding to the attack.
"Militants have struck an army camp in North Kashmir between Baramulla and Uri. Security force casualties are feared. It's an ongoing encounter," he said.
On December 2, Army foiled an infiltration bid in Handwara area of Kupwara district killing six militants while one army personnel was also killed. The infiltration bid was foiled even as people in Kupwara district were voting to elect their representatives.
