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Pakistani Soldiers Killed In Helicopter Crash Near Disputed Glacier


Two Pakistani soldiers have died after the helicopter they were piloting crashed in the Pakistan-administered section of the disputed Kashmir region.

The helicopter crashed on December 6 in the Siachen glacier, which is commonly referred to as the "highest battleground on earth” because of the wars that Pakistan and India have fought over Kashmir.

Search and rescue helicopters as well as army troops have arrived at the crash site, according to the Pakistani military.

The cause of the accident has not been determined.

Fighting over the glacier started in 1984, when Pakistan and India both moved their forces to the area to capture posts. Hundreds of soldiers die there every year due to exposure to extreme cold, altitude sickness, and avalanches.

A cease-fire has been in effect since 2003.

Both Pakistan and India lay claim to the Kashmir region as a whole, and the two nuclear powers have fought two of their three wars over the territory.

With reporting by AP and dpa

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