Five militants were killed in two separate encounters with security forces in Bandipora district on Tuesday.
"Three militants were killed in an encounter during a search operation carried out by 14 Rashtriya Rifles at Khayyar village in Bandipora area," a defence spokesman said.
He said search operations were going on and efforts were on to ascertain the identity of the militants.
Two unidentified militants were killed in another encounter with a joint party of the army and local police at Sarewal forest area of Bandipora in the wee hours of Tuesday, he said adding, furthers details were awaited as search operations were in progress.