Avalanches kill nine soldiers in Indian Kashmir

Two avalanches swept through army camps in Dawar and Sonamarg, both near the heavily-militarised Line of Control.


Afp February 23, 2012

SRINAGAR: At least nine Indian soldiers on duty in the mountains of Kashmir were killed in avalanches overnight with several others missing, officials said Thursday.

Two avalanches swept through army camps in Dawar and Sonamarg, both near the heavily-militarised Line of Control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan.

A defence spokesman who declined to be named said that six soldiers were killed at Dawar and 15 others were dug out of the snow, while three soldiers died at Sonamarg, a popular destination for Indian tourists in the summer.

"Efforts are underway to rescue the trapped soldiers whose exact number is being ascertained," said Lieutenant Colonel J.S. Brar, the military spokesman in the Indian Kashmir summer capital Srinagar.

The mountainous, Muslim-majority region of Kashmir was split in two in the aftermath of independence on the subcontinent when British rule ended in 1947.

Both India and Pakistan claim the whole territory, which is divided by the de facto border known as the Line of Control.

COMMENTS (12)

Rehman | 12 years ago | Reply

I have time and again said that the laptop warriors should go to some other forums. We Pakistanis express solidairty with the families of deceased soldiers.

Nirmit | 12 years ago | Reply @Bangladeshi: & Naved as a matter of fact, 8 of them were Muslims, the valued sons of India. We indians would cry for them and prey that they get the best in their next lives; on the other hand such a terrible attitude.....I have not seen you but your lives must be measurable, because if at all there is anything Allh, ishwar or God he would not tollerate such savage reactions without punishing......... If you are wondering about growing Indian standards and the kind of respect it garners in the world; whereever they live and work; you should try to learn from them the cevilisation. Somehow, you have lot it at some point in history.
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