Srinagar: Two Hizbul Mujahideen militants, both close aides of outfit commander Riyaz Naikoo, were killed Thursday in an encounter with security forces in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir, police said.

"Based on a credible input about presence of terrorists at Sharshali in Awantipora area of Pulwama district, a cordon and search operation was launched swiftly by security forces in the early hours of Thursday," a police official said.