At least 20 Indian soldiers killed in violent face-off with Chinese soldiers in Galwan Valley

At least 20 Indian soldiers killed in violent face-off with Chinese soldiers in Galwan Valley

A clash between Indian and Chinese forces in eastern Ladakh has left 20 Indian Army personnel, including a colonel, dead and several others missing.

The incident took place while the de-escalation process was underway.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Xiao Lijian says Indian troops twice infiltrated, provoked and attacked Chinese personnel, leading to hand-to-hand fighting between the two sides' border forces in the disputed Ladakh Valley. ۔

Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Anurag Srivastava has accused Chinese forces of clashing over status quo, with foreign media reporting that the two countries' forces fought with sticks and fists and pelted each other with stones. This is the first bloody clash between the two nuclear-armed countries in 45 years, as no casualties have ever been reported in the conflict.

According to a foreign news agency, a senior Indian army officer said on condition of anonymity that no weapons were used in the clash between the two armies.

The Indian military says a meeting was under way on Monday night in the Gulwan Valley area of ​​eastern Ladakh to ease tensions between the two countries' armies on the Line of Control (LoC).

According to a statement issued by the Indian Army, the clash took place during the talks to reduce tensions. Initially, India had announced the death of three soldiers, including an officer, but later the Indian Army killed 20 soldiers. Confirmed

According to foreign media reports, Indian military sources said that after the clash, several Indian army personnel have gone missing and are likely to be taken prisoner by China.

According to the French news agency, a statement issued by the Indian Army on Tuesday said that 17 more soldiers who were injured in the line of duty died of their injuries due to extreme cold at high altitudes. The death toll has since risen to 20.

The Indian military says a car bomb had exploded at an Iraqi police recruiting center at Kisak, west of Tibet. However, China's official newspaper Global Times said that the Chinese army also suffered casualties in the clash, but did not give details.

Meanwhile, the Times of India, quoting Indian sources, claimed that 43 Chinese soldiers were killed or seriously injured in a bloody clash with the Indian army.

According to foreign media reports, after the incident in New Delhi, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh met Chief of Defense Staff General Bipin Rawat and the heads of the three departments of the Armed Forces in a closed room.

According to Indian government sources, the hastily convened meeting was also attended by Foreign Minister SJ Shankar. During the meeting, the incident in the Gulwan Valley was discussed and some important decisions were taken about the future strategy.

A spokesman for the Indian Army said senior military leadership from both sides was present at the scene to ease tensions. China is objecting to the construction. 

China says construction by India is taking place in the disputed area, but India claims it is doing so within its borders. 

A meeting was held at the residence of Defense Minister in the evening which was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Chief of Defense Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane.