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Avalanche buries 100 Pakistani troops in Kashmir | Avalanche buries 100 Pakistani troops in Kashmir |
(40 minutes later) | |
At least 100 Pakistani troops have been buried by an avalanche in the disputed Kashmir region, the army says. | 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 told the BBC said some bodies had been recovered but would not say how many had survived. | |
The avalanche hit a military camp near the Siachen glacier in the Karakoram branch of the Himalaya mountains. A rescue operation is underway. | |
India and Pakistan both claim the area and have deployed thousands of troops. | |
Some reports suggest as many as 130 soldiers were 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. | 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. | 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. |
Maj Gen Abbas said it was too early to say how many of the soldiers had survived the avalanche. | |
Weather conditions in the area are said to be good. | Weather conditions in the area are said to be good. |
The BBC's Orla Guerin, in Islamabad, says the remote region is a particularly difficult place to launch a rescue mission. | |
Kashmir has been partitioned between India and Pakistan since 1947. | 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. | 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). | 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. | However, more soldiers have died from the harsh weather conditions there than in combat. |