A total of 20 Indian Army soldiers, including officials, were killed in a face-off with Chinese PLA troops at the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh last week. China also suffered casualties. According to news agency ANI, the eastern neighbours lost 43 of their soldiers. "Indian intercepts reveal that the Chinese side suffered 43 casualties including dead and seriously injured in face-off in the Galwan Valley," ANI said quoting sources.
On Sunday, China's army confirmed during military talks with India that their Commanding Officer was killed in the scuffle. "A Chinese commanding officer was among those killed in the June 15 clash in eastern Ladakh, China's army confirmed during military talks with India at Galwan last week," sources told NDTV.
Now, the Chinese Foreign Ministry have released a statement on Tuesday and has claimed that reports of at least 40 soldiers of PLA being killed in the violent face-off in Galwan Valley as "Fake News". "The allegation by some Indian media outlets that at least 40 Chinese soldiers were killed is FAKE NEWS," Chinese government mouthpiece Global Times attributed the statement to China's Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian.
Twitter users demanded to know the actual numbers of PLA troops killed as it has been over a week for the incident and China hasn't given out any details. Here are some of the Twitter reactions:
Earlier, the Global Times Editor-in-Chief Hu Xijin had admitted that China has also suffered casualties. Taking to Twitter, he had said, "Based on what I know, Chinese side also suffered casualties in the Galwan Valley physical clash. I want to tell the Indian side, don’t be arrogant and misread China’s restraint as being weak. China doesn’t want to have a clash with India, but we don’t fear it."
