SRINAGAR (AFP) - Two Indian army soldiers and five suspected freedom fighters were killed Friday during a fierce gunbattle triggered by a raid in revolt-hit Kashmir, the military said. The gunbattle erupted late last (Thursday) evening and continued throughout the night, army spokesman JS Brar told AFP. Brar said the fighting started when soldiers moved into Rafiabad area, about 70 km north of Srinagar, on a tip-off to raid a mujahidins hideout. Fighters opened fire on the raiding soldiers, killing two of our men, Brar said, adding the troops retaliated and killed five freedom fighters. The regions leading resistant group Hizbul Mujahedin said in telephone calls to the local media that the slain mujahids were its members. It was the second clash in three days. On Wednesday, two soldiers were killed in an ambush attack by freedom fighters in the neighbouring Bandipora area. Meanwhile Friday, a hardline Kashmiri politician led a pro-freedom demonstration in Srinagar, witnesses said. Hundreds of residents chanting We want freedom and Allah is great defied police restrictions as Syed Ali Geelani led them in a march against New Delhis rule. The protesters later dispersed after Geelani urged them to do so. However, Yasin Malik, another prominent Kashmiri leader, was detained by police in northern Handwara district where he was scheduled to lead a similar march.