India And China Suffer Casualties In Violent Clash At The LAC

NEW DELHI: Both the Indian and Chinese armies suffered casualties in a violent face-off between the two troops in the Galwan Valley area of Ladakh on Monday night.

“During the de-escalation process underway in the Galwan Valley, a violent face-off took place yesterday night with casualties on both sides. The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation.”

– Official statement by the Indian Army

“Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting to defuse the situation”, the army said, signalling that the efforts to stabilise the situation is still work in progress.

Military commanders of the two armies, Major General Abhijit Bapat, commander of the Karu-based HQs 3 Infantry Division and his Chinese counterpart are holding talks at the site of the clash to defuse tensions.

All the deaths are said to be a result of stones and rods that were used by the soldiers. However, there is no official Indian Army comment on this. However, this won’t be the first time the two armies have engaged in fisticuffs or used stones as missiles to attack each other in the area.

From the Chinese side, the Communist nation has officially confirmed the face-off but accused India of crossing the border. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said Indian troops “crossed the border line twice…provoking and attacking Chinese personnel, resulting in a serious physical confrontation between border forces on the two sides.” He did not mention anything about the casualties suffered by China.

The loss of lives on the Indian side includes an officer and two soldiers. Senior military officials of the two sides are currently meeting at the venue to defuse the situation.”

The incident occurred during a “de-escalation process” underway in the Galwan Valley in the disputed Aksai Chin-Ladakh area, where a large troop build-up has reportedly been taking place for weeks now on both sides of the border before senior military commanders began talks earlier this month.

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh held a meeting with Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, the three service chiefs and External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar.

Indian Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane was to visit Kashmir on Tuesday morning but following the Monday night developments at Line of Actual Control, it was cancelled.

The Line of Actual Control runs between Chinese-controlled Aksai Chin and the rest of the Indian Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir region.

The rough border line was the result of the India China border dispute in 1962, but neither side agrees exactly where it is or how long it is.

Aksai Chin is administered by China as part of Xinjiang, but is also claimed by the Indian government as part of Ladakh.

Developing story.

from League of India