Indian soldiers killed six rebels in overnight clashes in Kashmir as US ambassador Mr Robert Blackwill began a visit to the troubled Himalayan region today, officials said.
The dead include four members of the banned Pakistan-basedLashkar-e-Taiba militant group.
Rebel violence has continued unabated in Jammu and Kashmirsince a new coalition government took power last monthpromising to bring peace to a region where more than 35,000people have been killed in 13 years of fighting.
A Border Security Force (BSF) spokesman said paramilitarysoldiers killed three Lashkar-e-Taiba militants in Hajanvillage, after a night-long gunbattle. Hajan lies west ofSrinagar, the state's summer capital.
Last night, troops shot dead another Lashkarmember when militants tried to storm a BSF camp near Soporetown.
Suicide squads of the Lashkar-e-Taiba have carried out aseries of attacks on security camps and installations since1999.
Elsewhere, security forces shot dead two militants inseparate gunbattles, police said.
An Indian defence spokesman said Mr Blackwill was scheduled tomeet senior army officers in Srinagar this evening.