Three suspected militants were killed Wednesday in Indian-administered Kashmir during a daylong firefight with soldiers, police said, the latest incident in an uptick of attacks in the disputed territory.

Muslim-majority Kashmir has been divided between India and Pakistan since their independence from British rule in 1947. Indian police said the exchange of fire in the remote Doda area came after security forces launched a search operation based on intelligence about the presence of militants.

The latest clash in the forested area south of the main city of Srinagar, came days before a major Hindu pilgrimage is set to begin.
Two suspected militants were killed in a residential area of the northern Kashmir valley last week.

India and Pakistan both claim Kashmir in full and have fought three wars for control of the Himalayan region.