Eight suspected militants and a civilian were killed in continuing separatist violence in Indian-held Kashmir, the army and police said on Sunday. Four of the ‘militants’ were killed early on Sunday in a fierce gunbattle with troops in the northern district of Kupwara, army spokesman AK Mathur said. He said the fighting erupted when troops surrounded a forested hideout and asked the militants to surrender. “They instead opened fire, which was returned killing four of them (militants),” he said, adding the search operation was continuing in the area. Four more rebels were killed in two gunbattles with troops in the southern districts of Doda and Rajouri late on Saturday and early on Sunday, a police statement said. Police also said suspected militants shot dead a civilian in the southern district of Kulgam early on Sunday. “We are ascertaining why he was targeted,” police officer Fayaz Ahmed said. No rebel group has claimed responsibility.