Srinagar: At least two civilians were killed and several others injured inretaliatory firing by the security forces after an army patrol party cameunder attack in Jammu and Kashmir`s Shopian district on Saturday.

According to reports, the army had to resort to firing after hundreds ofprotesters attacked a patrol party with stones and shouted anti-Indiaslogans in Ganowpora village of Shopian district in south Kashmir.

The two youths who sustained bullet wounds, succumbed soon after they wererushed to the hospital for treatment.

The incident has triggered tension in the area and senior civil and policeofficers have been rushed to the spot to take stock of the situation.

The fresh protests in the area began two days after a youth was killed andtwo women were injured during a gunfight between militants holed up and thesecurity forces in the same district.

The militants were also killed in that gunfight that took place in Dairoo`sChaigund area in Shopian on Wednesday.

Their bodies were later recovered by the security forces.

The slain terrorists were later identified as local residents of the area.