China released 10 Indian soldiers following hectic negotiation through diplomatic and military channels including three rounds of talk between senior military officers of the two countries on Tuesday and Thursday, reports BSS/AFP.
The Indian soldiers were detained by Chinese army during the violent brawl of June 15 in Galwan Valley of eastern Ladakh, said media reports quoting sources familiar with the developments.
“All the 10 troops were returned to the Indian side by around 1600 hours on Thursday after the major general-level talks between the two sides…with this, all troops are accounted for now,” news agency ANI reported quoting sources.
However, there is no any official confirmation to this end. The Indian army and the external affairs ministry on Thursday said that no Indian soldiers were “missing in action”.
The round of talks was held between the two sides in the Galwan Valley where the Indian side was represented by the 3 division commander, who had been camping close to the Indian Army’s KM-120 position even before the June 15 violent face-off.
The India-China violent face-off at the Galwan Valley in Ladakh on June 15-16 resulted in killing of 20 Indian army personnel including the Commanding officer of 16 Bihar regiment Colonel Santosh Babu.
Citing radio intercepts and other intelligence, Indian army officials, however, claimed that 43 Chinese military personnel were killed or seriously injured in the clash although the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson in a recent media briefing did not provide any figure of casualties from the Chinese side.
Besides, private Indian TV channel NDTV reported that a total of 76 Indian army personnel were brutally assaulted by the Chinese army on Monday, out of which, 18 were seriously injured while 58 of them sustained minor injuries.
Quoting military sources, the TV channel said 18 personnel are undergoing treatment at a hospital in Leh while 58 were admitted to various other hospitals.
The clash in Galwan Valley is the biggest confrontation between the two militaries after their 1967 clashes in Nathu La.
