Srinagar, Sep 18 (UNI) Five heavily armed militants, believed to be foreigners, were killed by alert troops near the Line of Control (LoC) in Gurez sector in Bandipora district of north Kashmir today. The operation was still going on in the woods when the reports last came in, Defence Ministry spokesman Colonel N N Joshi told UNI. He said the troops noticed a group of militants sneaking into this side from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) in Gurez sector in the wee hours under the cover of darkness. However, when challenged and asked to surrender immediately after they entered this side at Kanzalwan on the Line of Control (LoC) by counter-infiltration grid, militants opened fire with automatic weapons. Troops also retaliated and in the fierce encounter, two militants were killed. Three more militants were killed, he said, adding bodies of all the five militants have been recovered alongwith four ak rifles and other arms and ammunition. This was however, the first infiltration bid from Gurez sector during the recent past as militants used Keran, Karnah and Uri sectors to sneak into this side. At least 24 infiltrators were killed this year. UNI BAS AE 1557