Jammu, Oct 8 (IANS): A top commander of Hizbul Mujahideen terror outfit was killed in the remote mountainous area of Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district Saturday morning in a joint operation by the Indian Army and police.

Speaking to IANS, the army spokesman of 16 Corps said there was specific information about presence of a hardcore militant in the forested area of Marmat in Doda, about 180 km northeast of Jammu.

The security forces threw a cordon around the area, leading to a fire-fight between the two sides after the terrorist refused to surrender. "The security forces killed the terrorist in a short gunbattle," said the spokesman.

The terrorist, identified as Azad Hussain Wani, is a local from Doda. He was active in the area since 1998.

The spokesman said Azad was involved in numerous cases of civilian killings, planting landmines and extortion and described the killing as a "big success for security forces and a blow to HM tanzeem (organisation) in Doda".

Azad'a brother Atta Mohammad, also a terrorist, was gunned down in 1995.