Three Indian soldiers, including an officer, have been killed in violent clashes between India and China on the Chinese border.
The incident comes at a time when border tensions between the two countries have been simmering for weeks and additional troops have been deployed by both sides.
The three-and-a-half-thousand-kilometer-long border between the two nuclear-armed countries has been the scene of frequent skirmishes between the two countries.
The Indian military says there have been deaths on both sides, but China has not confirmed any casualties or has blamed India.
A spokesman for the Indian Army said violent clashes erupted on Monday night, resulting in casualties on both sides, with one officer and two soldiers killed.
The spokesman said the senior military leadership of both sides was present at the scene to reduce tensions.
An Indian officer stationed in the area told AFP that there was no shooting and that the Indian officer killed was a colonel.
The officer, speaking on condition of anonymity, said no shots were fired, no weapons were used, and violent clashes took place.
On the other hand, China has confirmed the incident and accused India of crossing the border and attacking Chinese officials.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Xiao Lijian said Indian troops had twice crossed the border, provoked and attacked Chinese personnel, resulting in a standoff between the two sides’ border forces.
The Indian military says the incident took place in the Gulwan Valley in the Ladakh region, just off Tibet.
Tensions between the nuclear-armed nations have escalated since May, with thousands of troops facing off, with experts warning that any confrontation could lead to a major crisis in the region. ۔
On May 9, Indian and Chinese troops clashed and pelted each other with stones, injuring several soldiers.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry said in a statement last week that it had agreed to resolve the recent border dispute through effective diplomatic and military means.
A statement issued by the Indian Foreign Ministry later said that the two sides would continue effective military and diplomatic contacts to resolve the situation and ensure peace in the border areas.
But sources and Indian news agencies indicate that the areas occupied by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army in recent weeks, India has given up and decided to give them to China.
Areas occupied by the People’s Liberation Army include Lake Pan Gong Tsou in the north and the strategically important Gluan Valley.