MUZAFFARABAD: At least nine soldiers were martyred and four injured when their truck plunged into a ravine in Azad Kashmir on Sunday morning, military and witnesses said.

The truck - part of a military convoy - was heading towards Mang Bajri in Bagh district of AJK when the occurred near Shujaabad, some 12 km before its destination, at about 4 a.m. on Sunday, military officials said.

“There were with 13 soldiers, including the driver, on board the truck and seven of them died on the spot while the rest were injured,” a military official said on condition of anonymity as he was not authorised to speak to media.

The injured were evacuated to a hospital in Rawalakot, where two of them succumbed to their wounds, he said. Local police said the truck fell 500 feet (150 meters) down the ravine.