Srinagar, Jan. 6: No “iconic” domes, no hostages and no labyrinthine lanes of luxury. But an encounter that has outlasted the Mumbai attacks by several days is still playing itself out in

faraway Poonch.

Between seven and 10 militants have been battling around 2,000 security personnel for the past six days in the Jammu border district.

The gunfight between the militants of the Jaish-e-Mohammad — founded by Masood Azhar, who figures on India’s most-wanted list — and the Lashkar-e-Toiba — the Pakistan-based group Delhi accuses of masterminding the Mumbai strikes — has been on for over 144 hours in the forests of Mendhar.

The militants are believed to be holed up in several caves in the Bhatidhar forests, some seven kilometres inside the LoC in Poonch.

The security forces are reluctant to divulge details of the operation for fear of giving away information to the militants and their facilitators, as had happened during the siege of Mumbai when live television footage of commando activity had been relayed.

The trapped militants in Poonch are using wireless to communicate with other insurgents operating in the area.

Around 2,000 security personnel culled from the Romeo Force — the army’s counter-insurgency wing in Jammu — the military para-commandos and the special operations group of the state police are engaged in the battle. The operation, among the longest in recent years, started following an intelligence tip-off on the evening of December 31, rounding off a year which saw terror gripping the country across regions.

But the army denied reports that the militants were hiding in concrete bunkers. “There are no fortified structures or bunkers in the area. It is only the topography and terrain that has possibly provided cover and hideout for the militants,” said defence spokesman S.N. Acharya. He put the number of militants at two or three.

If indeed the militants are hiding in concrete bunkers, it could prove to be a major embarrassment for the security forces as they take time to construct. The forces will find it hard to explain how they went unnoticed for so long and how so many militants could have been hiding.

Around 600 men in uniform are engaged in the actual operation that is spread over eight square kilometres, while the rest have encircled the area, police sources said, blaming the time taken to flush them out on the treacherous terrain and adverse weather.

In Mumbai, some 400 commandos of the National Security Guard and 60 from the navy had fought the 10 militants.

The Poonch encounter has so far claimed two soldiers — junior commissioned officer Ramesh Kumar and Naik RK Singh — and special police official Naresh Kumar.

Based on wireless intercepts of the militants, security forces believe four of the guerrillas have also died though no body has been recovered. “Around seven to 10 more are still holed up in the caves and they have stored food, arms and ammunition there,” the source said. All the casualties took place in the first two days.

Deputy inspector-general of police, Poonch range, Kamal Kumar Saini said they had recovered some literature and provisions from a hideout busted by the force. “The militants were using a tin sheet for shelter which was covered with earth,” he said.

The sources said the militants may have been using the caves as a transit shelter before entering the Kashmir valley. The area is connected with the valley through the passes in the Pir Panchal mountain range, a trek of around 200km.