Revealing Weapons Used By Chinese Soldiers To Attack Indian Soldiers

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".