China-India Himalayan Border Clash Turns Deadly

NEW DELHI — Indian and Chinese border defense troops had a deadly encounter last Monday that left at least 20 Indian soldiers, including a colonel, dead, according to the Times of India.

The New York Times reports a dozen Indian soldiers remain missing. They are thought to have been captured by Chinese forces.

The clash occurred in the Galwan Valley region of eastern Ladakh. Details of the encounter are unclear. However, the Guardian reports that the altercation seems to have happened when Indian border troops unexpectedly met Chinese troops while patrolling.

China and India have had decades-long disputes over the Line of Actual Control which separates the two countries. The two countries fought a war over the region in 1962 and have since continued to have frequent conflicts in the area.

And what does China have to say about this deadly incident? Well, according to China's Global Times, it was the Indian troops who provoked the attack by crossing the Line of Actual Control.

The jingoistic state-run outlet also claims that the clash was "intentionally staged" as an effort to take over Chinese territory and deflect attention from India's management of the COVID-19 epidemic.