lndia continues security fence

Pakistan has criticised construction of the fence

India will keep building a security fence to prevent attacks by militants from Pakistani-administered Kashmir, the country's top army officer says.

General N C Vij said the Indian army had intercepted thousands of messages sent from militant bases on the Pakistani side.

He said the activity indicated that the bases were still operating.

Meanwhile gun battles in Indian-administered Kashmir have left several militants and Indian soldiers dead.

The issue of Kashmir is expected to figure in talks next month between India and Pakistan.

Militant clashes

India has already built a section of the security fence, which will eventually stretch hundreds of kilometres.

Pakistan has repeatedly criticised its construction.

The move comes as two gun battles in Indian-administered Kashmir left at least six suspected Islamic separatist militants and two Indian soldiers dead on Saturday.

The first occurred in a village north of the state's summer capital, Srinagar, when Indian soldiers carrying out a search operation exchanged gunfire with suspected militants.

At least two Indian soldiers also died in the battle.

In the second incident, at least one militant and two Indian soldiers were killed following a raid by Indian soldiers on a village south of Srinagar suspected to be a hide-out for militants, a spokesman for India's border security force told the Associated Press news agency.