China confirms commanding officer was killed in Ladakh face-off: Report
What's the story
A week after Indian and Chinese forces clashed in Ladakh's Galwan Valley, reports said that a Chinese commanding officer was among those killed in the brawl.
This is the first admission of any casualty from the Chinese side, which has not officially revealed the number of casualties in the June 15 clash.
Reportedly, China suffered over 40 casualties, while 20 Indian soldiers were martyred.
Details
China confirmed commanding officer's death during negotiation talks, says report
Citing accounts from a debriefing of soldiers involved in the clash, The Economic Times reported that the Indian troops put up a strong fight.
Sources aware of the debriefing told the publication that a commanding officer in China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) was among those killed in the scuffle.
The same was reportedly conveyed to India by China during negotiation talks last week.
Information
MEA spoke about Chinese commanding officer's death at all-party meeting
The ET report further stated that the Minister of External Affairs, S Jaishankar, also informed leaders at the all-party meeting on June 19 that China had confirmed the death of its commanding officer.
Reason
What was the reason behind the June 15 clash?
Sources told ET that most of the casualties took place around 9 pm on Monday (June 15) as the two forces clashed.
Reportedly, Colonel Santosh Babu—who was also martyred in the clash—took a party of 40 men to oversee disengagement along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Galwan Valley after peace talks.
However, they noticed a Chinese observation post on the Indian side.
Reason
Indian soldiers noticed Chinese observation post at Patrol Point 14
The Chinese forces resisted as Col Babu's team insisted on removing the observation post, the report added. Eventually, the Chinese forces retreated and Indian soldiers removed the post.
When the Indian forces reached Patrol Point 14 to oversee disengagement, they noticed another observation post providing a clear view of the Galwan Valley, the Shyok confluence, and the strategic Daulat Beg Oldie road.
Clash
China's forces then attacked Indian soldiers
As the Indian party insisted on the removal of this structure, it was attacked by Chinese forces that had "surreptitiously gathered in the dark of the night," according to ET.
Reportedly, China suffered at least 40 casualties in the clash.
Apart from the 20 fatalities, 76 soldiers of the Indian Army were injured and are likely to rejoin duty within weeks, sources told NDTV.
Talks
Talks for peaceful negotiation continue
Tensions have been high between India and China along the LAC in Eastern Ladakh since early-May.
Both sides have been trying to defuse the tension through peaceful negotiation.
In the latest development, India and China held Lieutenant General-level talks at Moldo on the Chinese side of Chushul on Monday (June 22). This was the second round of Lieutenant General-level talks.