Revealing Weapons Used By Chinese Soldiers To Attack Indian Soldiers
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The image is said to be the rudimentary weapon used by Chinese soldiers in a deadly scuffle |
The image appeared to be a
rudimentary weapon used by Chinese soldiers during a deadly brawl along the
disputed border with India on Monday.
The war in the Galwan
Valley has killed at least 20 Indian soldiers and intensified tensions between
the two powers.
China does not recognize
any casualties in its forces. Both sides accuse the other of invading
their territory.
The border between the two
states in the region is poorly delineated and may change with changes in
topography.
Photos appearing on
Thursday show rudimentary weapons that appear to be made of iron bars with
nails. The BBC said it received the photo from a senior Indian military
official on the Indo-China border, who said the weapon was used by Chinese
soldiers.
The United States and its
allies have long wanted to engage India in an effort to compete with
China. Now, a serious clash has just occurred on the Sino-Indian border
that seems to be pushing Delhi in that direction.
Defense analyst Ajai
Shukla, who first posted the image on Twitter, described the use of the weapons
as "barbaric". Guns were not used in the clashes stemming from
the 1996 agreement between the two parties that guns and explosives were banned
along the disputed border lines, to prevent an escalation.
The image was widely shared
on Twitter in India, causing many social media users to resent. Both Chinese
and Indian officials commented on it.
Media reports said the
military clashed on the mountains at an altitude of nearly 4,300m on steep
terrain, with some soldiers falling into the swiftly flowing Galwan River at
temperatures below zero.
The two sides have been
struggling along the disputed border in recent weeks, but Monday's clash was
the first to result in death in at least 45 years. Unconfirmed reports in
Indian media indicate that at least 40 Chinese soldiers are dead, but China has
yet to release any information on casualties.
Indian officials said all
of their troops involved in the clash were counted, after reports said several
people were missing.
Chinese Foreign Ministry
spokesman Zhao Lian Kien said Indian soldiers twice crossed the border,
"inciting and attacking Chinese personnel, resulting in a serious physical
confrontation between the borders forces in the two side.
China on Wednesday declared
"sovereignty over the Galwan Valley region" - a claim rejected by
India as "exaggerated and unprotected".
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