Armed police and soldiers searched homes and forests for militants in Indian Kashmir on Friday and India's army chief reviewed security there after the killing of 26 men at a tourist site - the worst attack on civilians in nearly two decades.

A day after the U.N. appealed for restraint following Tuesday's deadly attack in Indian-administered Kashmir, India reported an exchange of fire across the de facto border in the disputed region.

The nuclear-armed rivals ramped up tit-for-tat diplomatic offensive following a deadly attack on tourists in Pahalgam.