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Army Chief visits Siachen, cautions jawans against natural disasters

Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag visited the sites where soldiers lost their lives at Siachen in the recent avalanches.

Srinagar: Army Chief General Dalbir Singh on Thursday reviewed the situation in Siachen, the world’s highest battleground, where India and Pakistan have fought intermittently since April 1984 but which has also been the scene of many natural disasters.

Read: Siachen: Army pulls out buried soldier from 35-foot down under

The latest such incident being the avalanche that struck the region on February 3 when a huge wall of frost and snow crashed smothered a vast area including an Army camp, and killing as many as ten soldiers including a junior commissioned officer.

Last month, four soldiers were killed, two each at Turtuk, one of the gateways to Siachen, and in neighbouring Kagril sector after they were swept away by avalanches.

The Army Chief visited these sites and interacted with the soldiers serving in threatening situations.

Read: Hope dies for 10 Army soldiers buried in Siachen, PM 'salutes' their bravery

“He commended them for their outstanding work in the difficult conditions at Siachen and exhorted them to be careful to the avalanche threats,” defence spokesman Lt. Col. N.N. Joshi said in a statement issued here on Friday.

Read: 10 Army soldiers buried in Siachen avalanche, IAF joins rescue operation

He added that Gen. Singh separately met the porters “who work tirelessly to maintain the posts at those difficult conditions in Siachen” and equally exposed to the threat. The Army Chief was accompanied by the Northern Army Commander, Lt General DS Hooda and Ladakh-based 14 Corps Commander, Lt General SK Patyal.

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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