JAKARTA (XINHUA) - Indonesian soldiers have shot dead two militants, believed to be members of a group linked to the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) terror group, in the Central Sulawesi province, a military spokesman said on Tuesday (May 16).

The shootout occurred under a military operation launched last year in the deep forests of Poso district to hunt for militants grouped under the banner of the Mujahidin Indonesia Timur (MIT).

"A large exchange of gunfire between six (of our) personnel and the eight militants of MIT took place in Blue Mountain area. The bodies of the two slain militants are being evacuated and identified," Major General Wuryanto disclosed.

"Currently, the personnel are tracking down the six other militants who are believed to have escaped to the deep forest in the mountain area," he added.

The spokesman said one soldier was injured in the fire fight and has got a medical treatment.

Santoso, the MTI leader and once Indonesia's most wanted terrorist, was slain last year in the military operation, which involves over 2,000 soldiers and policemen, according to the Indonesian national police.