Jammu, Aug 5 - A section commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen militant outfit was killed in a gunbattle with soldiers in Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday morning, an official said.

The soldiers laid a cordon around Sarwal forest, about 180 km northesst of here, following a tip-off about the presence of militants there.

'The firefight between troops and militants began early morning and lasted about an hour,' Lt. Col Biplab Nath, an army spokesperson, told IANS.

Hizbul Mujahideen section commander Noor Mohammed was killed and his relative, a 10-year-old boy, was rescued alive.

Mohammed was active in the region for the last 10 years and was involved in many civilian killings.

A Kalashnikov rifle and some ammunition have been recovered from the dead militant.