At least three soliders have been killed and 18 others injured in a terror attack on an Army base in Indian-controlled Kashmir Sunday, a defense official said.

"The attack took place in the morning when four terrorists entered the Army base in the northern state's Uri sector, which is near the Line of Control. A gunbattle is on between the Army and two militants, while two other militants have been neutralised," he said, on condition of anonymity.

The injured have been airlifted to an Army hospital in state capital Srinagar, about 70 km away, where the condition of two are said to be critical, the official added.

Indian Home Minister Rajnath Singh has cancelled his trip to Russia and the U.S. because of the terror attack. "Spoke to Governor and Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir regarding the terror attack in Uri. They have apprised me of the security situation in the state," he tweeted.

Local TV channels reported, quoting sources, that this is a suicide attack by the militants who may have had entered this country from across the border.

Kashmir has been on the boil since the killing of 22-year-old militant commander Burhan Wani by Indian security forces in July. More than 80 people have been killed and over 10,000 others injured in violence in the aftermath of the killing.

This is also the second major terror attack at a defense base in northern India, the first being in January this year when some six terrorists entered the high security Pathankot air base in Punjab and opened fire, killing seven military personnel.

Source : XINHUA