Chinese soldiers armed with spears and rifles.
New Delhi:
A day after Chinese troops attempted to approach Indian positions on the southern shore of Ladakh’s Pangong Lake, photos have emerged of the soldiers armed with spears and automatic rifles. The images are an indication that the Chinese may have intended to force a physical confrontation similar to the one on June 15 in the Galwan Valley, when 20 Indian soldiers were killed across the country.
This is the first direct evidence of the massive use of medieval-style weapons of war by the Chinese military. In the images each soldier is seen with spears and rifles.
On Monday, Chinese and Indian soldiers were within a stone’s throw on key Indian-occupied hills on the southern shore of Lake Pangong, between Rechin La-Rezangla-Mukhpari and Magar Hill in southern Pangong.
In the images each soldier is seen with spears and rifles.
When Chinese soldiers reached a position near Mukhpari, Indian troops yelled at them and showed their weapons, sources say. Indian soldiers in a megaphone warned of retaliation with gunfire if the Chinese crossed the Royal Line of Control (LAC). When the Chinese withdrew, they fired a burst of warning shots.
Photos accessed by NDTV show Chinese soldiers standing yesterday near the Indian positions of Rezang La and Mukhpari.
These soldiers tried to reach Indian positions and some of them fired into the air.
Chinese troops have made several attempts to reach Indian positions after India gained an advantage last month at key heights in Pangong Tso, a glacial lake at 14,000 feet. Despite the provocations, the indigenous people have been able to maintain their positions.
Sources say it was clear that their intention was to potentially get into a skirmish with Indian soldiers as on June 20, when 20 soldiers were killed in action in a clash with the Chinese in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh. China also suffered casualties but never confirmed any figures.
Previously, there were two major incidents of Chinese provocation in Pangong Tso on August 29 and 31. India said the Chinese have been trying to change the status quo from a new area, the South Bank of Pangong. India was prepared and was able to prevent these attempts, the government said.
.
