Jammu, Oct 28 : Three terrorists involved in an attempted ambush on an Army vehicle in Jammu and Kashmir's Akhnoor area on Monday have been killed, official sources said here.

'All the three terrorists involved in the attempted ambush of an Army vehicle in the Battal area of Akhnoor in Jammu district have been killed. Bodies of the slain terrorists are being recovered and their exact identity will be known after the bodies are recovered,' the sources said.

After the Army and security forces engaged terrorists in a sustained gunfight in the area, the firing had stopped for nearly an hour after which the sources said three terrorists had been killed.

Earlier in the day, terrorists tried to ambush an Army vehicle in the Akhnoor area after which the encounter started there.

'The ambush attempt by the terrorists failed after which a cordon operation was started in the area. Firing exchanges have now started between the terrorists and the security forces. All exit points of the terrorists have been sealed. Reinforcements have been rushed to the area,' officials said earlier.

Following orders from their handlers across the border, terrorists have increased their activities in the union territory following the peaceful, people-participative Lok Sabha and Assembly elections.

Last Thursday, terrorists attacked an Army vehicle in the Botapathri area of Gulmarg killing two soldiers and two civilian porters. Another soldier injured in this attack succumbed to critical injuries the next day taking the toll of people killed in the attack to five.

The Botapathri attack on an Army vehicle happened in a usually militancy-free area of the Valley. Gulmarg and its upper reaches like Botapathri are thronged by tourists and the place has been a choice destination for nature lovers.

On October 20, terrorists attacked a private infrastructure company's workers' camp in the Gagangir area of Ganderbal district.

In that dastardly attack carried out by two terrorists, seven people were killed, including six non-local workers and a local doctor.

The attack was carried out on innocent, unarmed workers engaged in building a tunnel at Z-Morh on Srinagar-Leh national highway. Once completed, the tunnel will make Srinagar-Sonamarg an all-weather road and also make the tourist resort of Sonamarg an all-season tourist destination.

The tunnel from Z-Morh to Sonamarg will help the local economy and also generate employment for the local youth.

/IANS