New Delhi, July 26: Kargil Vijay Diwas is being observed in India on Sunday as the day marks 21 years since the war in which the Indian forces succeeded in flushing out Pakistani soldiers and militants from the border posts of Kargil. On this day, the valour of Indian armed forces is commemorated, and the martyrdom of soldiers is hailed by the countrymen. Here are 10 facts to know about the Kargil war.

  • The war broke out in May 1999 and continued for over two months.

  • Globally, the conflict in Kargil remains the most recent case of high-altitude warfare in mountainous terrain.

  • The battle was triggered after Indian troops detected massive intrusion of armed infiltrators from Pakistan.

  • The neighbouring nation had initially maintained that its troopers did not cross over and only Kashmiri militants are involved in the combat.

  • After the initial casualties, Pakistan admitted that its military has carried out an operation in Kargil region.

  • Their intent was to capture the NH1 and cut-off Leh region from the rest of India.

  • The Indian Army fought a relentless battle stretching for nearly 60 days, which led to the evacuation of Pakistani soldiers from all captured posts.

  • Apart from Indian ground troopers, the IAF also played a crucial role in neutralising the intruders through 'Operation Safed Sagar'.

  • On July 26, Operation Vijay was declared successful as Pakistan retreated from the region.

  • The Indian side sustained 527 fatalities, along with around 1,000 injuries.

  • Pakistan's then ruling PML(N) had claimed that it lost over 3,000 people, including soldiers and mujahideens.

Since then, the date of July 26 is annually observed as Kargil Vijay Diwas. The war was the first clash between India and Pakistan after developing their nuclear arsenals. Both the countries refrained from climbing the escalation ladder despite being locked in a hectic military confrontation in Kargil.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jul 26, 2020 07:29 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).