Indian national cricket team captain Virat Kohli on Wednesday paid tribute to soldiers killed in the bloody clash with Chinese troops in the Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh on Monday night. (More Cricket News)
Twenty Indian Army personnel including a colonel were killed in the stand-off, which is the biggest military confrontation between two of the world's largest armies in the last 45 years.
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Kohli, 31, took to Twitter and wrote: "Salute and deepest respect to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect our country in the Galwan Valley."
Salute and deepest respect to the soldiers who sacrificed their lives to protect our country in the Galwan Valley. NO one is more selfless and brave than a soldier. Sincere condolences to the families. I hope they find peace through our prayers at this difficult time. ðÂÂÂ
— Virat Kohli (@imVkohli) June 17, 2020
"NO one is more selfless and brave than a soldier. Sincere condolences to the families. I hope they find peace through our prayers at this difficult time," Kohli added.
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In an official statement, the Indian army said: "Indian and Chinese troops have disengaged at the Galwan area where they had earlier clashed on the night of 15/16 June 2020. 17 Indian troops who were critically injured in the line of duty at the stand off location and exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain have succumbed to their injuries, taking the total that were killed in action to 20. Indian Army is firmly committed to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation."
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had briefed Prime Minister Narendra Modi about Monday night's clash as well on the overall situation in eastern Ladakh after he held a high-level meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin Rawat and the three service chiefs.
The trigger for the face-off was China's stiff opposition to India laying a key road in the Finger area around the Pangong Tso Lake besides construction of another road connecting the Darbuk-Shayok-Daulat Beg Oldie road in Galwan Valley.
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