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Siachen Glacier
All the 10 Indian soldiers who were trapped when an avalanche hit their post on the Siachen glacier were declared dead on February 5 evening. S i a c h e n G l a c i e r is located in the East Karakoram/Himalaya, at approximately 35.5° N 76.9° E.
All the 10 Indian soldiers who were trapped when an avalanche hit their post on the Siachen glacier were declared dead on February 5 evening. S i a c h e n G l a c i e r is located in the East Karakoram/Himalaya, at approximately 35.5° N 76.9° E.
It is one of the five largest glaciers in the Karakoram, situated at an average altitude of 5,400 meters (~17,700 feet) above sea level. Most of the Siachen Glacier as is the LoC, a hotly contested territory between Pakistan and India.
The Siachen glacier lies South of the great watershed that separates Central Asia from the Indian subcontinent, and Pakistan from China in this region. The 78-km-long Siachen glacier lies between the Saltoro ridge line to the west and the main Karakoram range to the east.
The Saltoro ridge originates from the Sia Kangri peak in the Karakoram range and the altitudes range from 5500 to 7300 m (18,000 to 24,000 feet). The major passes on this ridge are Sia La at 6100 m (20,000 ft) and Bila Fond La at 5800 m (19,000 ft).
Entire Siachen Glacier with all major passes is currently under administration of India since 1984, while Pakistan controls the region west of Saltoro Ridge. The Siachen Glacier lies immediately south of the great drainage divide that separates the Eurasian Plate from the Indian subcontinent in the extensively glaciated portion of the Karakoram sometimes called the "Third Pole".
The glacier's region is the highest battleground on Earth, where Pakistan and India have fought intermittently since April 1984. Both countries maintain a permanent military presence in the region at a height of over 6,000 m (20,000 ft).
Both India and Pakistan have wished to disengage from the costly military outposts. However, after the Pakistani incursions during the Kargil War in 1999, India abandoned plans to withdraw from Siachen without official recognition of the current line of control by Pakistan, wary of further Pakistani incursions if they vacate the Siachen Glacier posts without such recognition.
Pakistan sent infiltrators to occupy vacated Indian posts across the Line of Control was their belief that India would be forced to withdraw from Siachen in exchange of a Pakistani withdrawal from Kargil. More than 2000 people have died in this inhospitable terrain, mostly due to weather extremes and the natural hazards of mountain warfare.
