SRINAGAR: An army officer and two suspected Islamic rebels were killed on Tuesday in a fierce gunbattle in Indian held Kashmir, said an army spokesman. Indian soldiers came under heavy gunfire as they cordoned off Sumlar village after receiving information that some suspected militants were hiding there, said Col Hemant Juneja, adding that an army officer was killed in the ensuing gunbattle. He said that gunbattle continued for five hours before troops managed to kill the gunmen. Two houses in Sumlar, 80 kilometres north of Srinagar, were destroyed in the fight and the army recovered two rifles and several grenades and launchers, he said.