Srinagar: Three Army soldiers were killed in an encounter with terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir's Kulgam district on Friday, officials said.

Security forces launched a cordon and search operation in the higher reaches of the Halan forest area of Kulgam district in south Kashmir following inputs about the presence of terrorists there, a police official said.

He said the search operation turned into an encounter after the terrorists fired at the security forces, who retaliated.

In the exchange of fire, three security forces personnel were injured, the official said, adding, they succumbed during treatment.

"Operation Halan #Kulgam. On specific inputs regarding presence of terrorists on higher reaches of Halan in Kulgam, operations launched by Security Forces on 04 Aug 23. In exchange of firing with terrorists, three personnel sustained injuries and later succumbed. Search operations are continuing," Srinagar-based Chinar Corps of the Army said in a tweet.

The official said reinforcement has been rushed to the area and the search operation has been intensified.