The Indian military has observed Chinese medical teams evacuate some People’s Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers on stretchers from above in the Finger Area on the north shore of Pangong Tso to a nearby field hospital, familiar officials said on Friday. with events. speaking on condition of anonymity.
Some Chinese troops have been evacuated from Finger 4 heights to a field medical facility prior to Finger 6 for the past two to three days due to high altitude-related health complications, officials said, and development put the spotlight. in high altitude war challenges.
The Finger Area, a set of eight cliffs jutting out of the Sirijap mountain range overlooking Pangong Lake, is among the sticking points in the eastern Ladakh theater, where both armies have deployed nearly 100,000 soldiers and weaponry to their areas of advance and depth. The Indian soldiers are only a few hundred meters from the Chinese troops holding positions on the Finger 4 ridge.
As a harsh winter approaches in eastern Ladakh, where Indian and Chinese soldiers maintain towering heights and are already exposed to freezing temperatures, both armies will face the challenge of ensuring that disease-related casualties from high altitudes are keep at your lowest level. officials said.
“The extreme weather at those elevations of 16,000 to 17,000 feet will surely create health complications for the soldiers, both Indian and Chinese. And the harsh winter is yet to begin. Conditions will only get worse in the coming weeks and months, ”said one of the officials cited above.
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Indian soldiers occupying positions in eastern Ladakh have undergone the necessary acclimatization to be deployed to high altitudes and adequate advanced medical facilities are available to deal with any emergencies, a second official said.
“Indian soldiers have occupied positions at even higher heights on the Siachen glacier. But high-altitude warfare comes with its own unique challenges, ”the official said.
Prepared for the long haul in the Ladakh theater, India has arranged to provide logistical support, including medical facilities, to its soldiers deployed in advanced areas; More than 50,000 Indian soldiers are likely to remain stationed in the theater during the winter months to face any provocation by Chinese forces.
“Soldiers had better stay low at those heights and avoid any unnecessary maneuvers or activities that could lead to serious health complications. Troops on both sides will face the same set of challenges when it comes to climate, ”said Lt. Gen. BK Chopra (Retired), former director general of medical services for the armed forces.
Chopra said high-altitude cerebral edema (Haco) and high-altitude pulmonary edema (Hapo) are among the serious illnesses that soldiers can develop at high altitudes.
About 1,000 soldiers have died guarding Siachen since the army took control of the inhospitable glacier in April 1984, almost double the lives lost in the Kargil war. Almost a fifth of the casualties were related to enemy fire before the November 2003 ceasefire between India and Pakistan took effect. The remaining deaths were due to the fury of nature, accidents and medical reasons.
Advances in high altitude medicine, the best equipment, the best possible training, internal innovations, and proper drill tracking have helped the Indian Army keep casualty rates low in high altitude areas. experts previously told HT.
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