Srinagar, Sep 9 : Three soldiers were killed when an avalanche hit the Siachen Glacier in the Union Territory of Ladakh on Tuesday.

"Their bodies have been recovered and inquest proceedings will follow," an official told IANS over the phone from Leh.

Known as the world's highest and most challenging battlefield, the Siachen Glacier is located in the eastern Karakoram range of the Himalayas, just northeast of the point NJ9842 where the Line of Control (LoC) between India and Pakistan ends in northeastern Kashmir.

At 76 km, it is the longest glacier in the Karakoram and the second-longest in the world's non-polar areas. It falls from an altitude of 5,753 m (18,875 ft) above sea level.

The entire Siachen Glacier, with all major passes, has been under the control of India as part of Ladakh since 1984.

Pakistan Army controls the region west of Saltoro Ridge, lying west of the glacier, with Pakistani posts located 1 km below more than 100 Indian posts on the ridge.

The glacier's region is the highest battleground on Earth, where Pakistan and India have fought intermittently since April 1984.

India launched Operation Meghdoot to occupy Siachen Glacier in 1984. Then, due to the Pakistani incursions during the Kargil War in 1999, India further strengthened its position in Siachen Glacier to ward off any attempts by the Pakistan army to occupy the glacier.

Manmohan Singh became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the area, during which he called for a peaceful resolution of the problem. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam became the first President to visit the area.

After that, Prime Minister Narendra Modi also visited Siachen.

Temperatures drop to minus 50 degrees Celsius in the Siachen Glacier during the winter months.

/IANS