A six-hour clash in the border area of Kupwara left nine suspected militants and one Indian officer dead.

In separate incidents, a landmine blast killed four Indian soldiers while a suspected militant was shot dead near Bandipora town.

Indian leaders met moderate Kashmiri separatists for peace talks last month.

Both sides are due to meet again this month, having agreed so far only on the need to halt the bloodshed in Kashmir.

However, separatist hardliners have not endorsed these peace moves.

The militant groups waging a 15-year-old battle against Indian troops in Kashmir have also said their armed struggle will continue.

Border ceasefire

Thursday's landmine explosion, which killed four soldiers, also left six Indian troops injured.

Militant group Hizbul Mujahideen has said it was responsible for the blast - the single worst attack on Indian troops since the government held its first talks with Kashmiri separatist leaders last month.

India and Pakistan are due to begin talks this month to resolve all of their differences, including the Kashmir dispute.

Both countries claim the disputed region and have fought two wars over it.

But since last November, they have observed a ceasefire along the Line of Control that divides the two armies in Kashmir.

More than 35,000 people have died in 15 years of fighting in the Himalayan region.