Army sources confirm disengagement from both sides as India faces the bloodiest clash with China in 50 years
17 June, 2020 | newsx bureau
The death of 17 more soldiers has also been confirmed, taking the cumulative death toll at the Indian side to 20, in the skirmish that occurred along the LAC late on June 15.
Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area in Ladakh where they had earlier clashed on the night of June 15 and 16, Indian Army said on Tuesday. The Army also confirmed that 20 soldiers were killed in the face-off including 17 who were critically injured at the stand-off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain.
“Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of 15/16 June 2020. Seventeen Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the stand off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20,” the statement said.
The Army had said earlier in the day that an officer and two soldiers had been killed in the stand-off. Indian intercepts have revealed that Chinese side suffered 43 casualties including dead and seriously injured in the violent face-off in Ladakh’s Galwan valley, sources confirmed to ANI.
Read also: India-China standoff: US extends support for de-escalation, closely monitoring the situation
Read also: China suffered 43 casualties in the Galwan valley face-off late on June 15, say Indian intercepts
The violent face-off happened on late evening and night of June 15 in Ladakh’s Galwan Valley as a result of an attempt by the Chinese troops to “unilaterally change” the status quo during de-escalation in Eastern Ladakh and the situation could have been avoided if the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side, India said on Tuesday.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Anurag Srivastava said that both sides suffered casualties in the violent face-off and the Chinese side departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held two review meetings over developments in Eastern Ladakh during the day.
Read also: At least 20 Indian soldiers martyred in India-China face-off in Galwan Valley