India invites Kashmiri leaders for peace talks

The Indian government has invited Kashmir's main separatist group for talks to settle the five-decade-old dispute over the area.

The policy-making committee of the APHC - an umbrella organisation for separatist groups in Kashmir - is expected to meet next week in Srinagar to consider the invitation.

It has been demanding that Pakistan be part of any dialogue to find a solution to the Kashmir dispute.

A government spokesman said: "In the first round of talks, I have invited former top elected officials, leaders of various political parties and lawmakers and leaders of other groups, including the All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference."

The government claims at least 30,000 people have been killed in Kashmir since an Islamic uprising began in 1989.

Human rights groups put the death toll at twice that number.

The government spokesman says the Pakistani government and militant groups have not been invited to the first round of talks, but that could be considered later.

The government's initiative comes four months after the Prime Minister ordered a temporary ceasefire against Islamic guerrillas.

Meanwhile, suspected militants and security forces have fought a fierce gun battle in the Kashmiri capital Srinagar, leaving four combatants dead, police say.

The confrontation began when the paramilitary Border Security Force soldiers raided a house in the Zoonimar district following a tip that suspected guerrillas were hiding there.

The militants fired at the soldiers with automatic weapons, killing one of them and wounding two others, police said.

Government soldiers attacked the rebel hideout with mortars, killing three guerrillas and destroying the hide-out.