NEW DELHI, Aug. 26 (Xinhua) -- Indian army Sunday said it arrested four newly-recruited militants near the Line of Control (LoC) dividing Kashmir.

According to Indian army spokesperson Col Rajesh Kalia, the four were trying to exfiltrate from Indian-controlled Kashmir into Pakistan-controlled part, near Kalaroos in frontier Kupwara district, northwest of capital city, Srinagar.

"Four newly recruited militants were arrested this morning along with warlike stores in upper reaches of Kalaroos in Kupwara today morning while attempting to exfiltrate across the LoC," Kalia said.

Kalia said the army and police laid an ambush after receiving "credible information" about four newly-recruited militants being guided by three cadres of Al-Badr outfit for a planned exfiltration.

"After a brief gunfight, extreme restraint was exercised and opportunity was given to the militants to surrender," he said.

"While the four newly-recruited militants surrendered, the Al-Badr militants deserted them and fled under cover of fire."

LoC is a de facto border that divides Kashmir into India and Pakistan controlled parts.

A guerrilla war is going on between militants and Indian troopers stationed in the region since 1989. However, of late Indian policemen too have been trained to fight them.

Kashmir, the Himalayan region divided between India and Pakistan, is claimed by both in full. Since their independence from Britain, the two countries have fought three wars, two exclusively over Kashmir.