Thread: Avalanche buries 100 Pakistani troops in Kashmir

Avalanche buries 100 Pakistani troops in Kashmir

At least 100 Pakistani troops have been buried by an avalanche in the disputed Kashmir region, the army says.

Pakistan army spokesman Major General Athar Abbas said the avalanche had hit a military camp and a rescue operation was underway.

The incident happened near the Siachen glacier in the eastern Karakoram branch of the Himalaya mountains.

Thousands of troops are deployed in the remote area, which is claimed by both Pakistan and India.

Some reports suggest as many as 130 soldiers had been engulfed by the avalanche, which struck the base in the Gayari district at about 06:00 local time (01:00 GMT).

They are from the Northern Light Infantry regiment.

The military says its "priority is to save lives", and helicopters, sniffer dogs and troops have been sent to the area to help with the rescue.

Weather conditions in the area are said to be good.

The Siachen glacier is in a remote mountain area claimed by both Pakistan and India


Kashmir has been partitioned between India and Pakistan since 1947.

Failure to agree on the status of the territory by diplomatic means has brought India and Pakistan to war on a number of occasions.

The Siachen glacier is known as the world's highest battlefield, and soldiers have been deployed at elevations of up to 6,700m (22,000 feet).

However, more soldiers have died from the harsh weather conditions there than in combat.

BBC News - Avalanche buries 100 Pakistani troops in Kashmir