Srinagar, June 1 (IANS): Four separatist guerrillas and a civilian were killed in an over 36-hour gun battle in the frontier town of Tangdhar in Jammu and Kashmir's Kupwara district, officials said on Monday.

"Four militants were killed and their bodies recovered in the Tangdhar operation against the militants today (Monday)," a defence statement issued here said.

It said a fifth "unidentified body" was recovered from the site, and has been handed over to police. Reports said the body was of a civilian caught in the cross fire.

Four AK-47 rifles and one UBGL were found, and the search operation was still on.

On Sunday, the army had intercepted a group of guerrillas who had freshly infiltrated across the Line of Control (LoC) in Tangdhar.

The militants, who had taken shelter in two houses, used those as fortified bunkers to engage the Indian soldiers in a protracted gunfight that lasted for over 36 hours till Monday.

Both houses were destroyed in the gun battle.