Two rhino poachers have been killed during an anti-poaching operation by forest guards in Assam's Kaziranga National Park, officials said Thursday.

The incident took place late Wednesday near Diphalu anti-poaching camp located in the Burhapahar forest range of the park, the officials said.

"Five to six poachers in a group entered the park but our guards launched an operation immediately, killing two of them," said a park official.

"Other poachers managed to escape. Two .303 rifles and some live ammunitions were also recovered from the spot," the official said.

The park, a Unesco World Heritage Site, has been witnessing a spate in poaching of one-horned rhinos since past two years.

According to official statistics, a total of 18 one-horned rhinos have been killed in Assam since January this year, while forest guards killed seven poachers in anti-poaching operations this year.