UN expresses concern over India-China face-off at LAC, appeals for maximum restraint

New Delhi: The United Nations expressed its concern over deaths of Indian and Chinese soldiers at the Line of Actual Control (LAC) and urged both sides to exercise "maximum restraint".

On Tuesday, the Associate Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Eri Kaneko said, "We are concerned about reports of violence and deaths at the Line of Actual Control between India and China, and we urge both sides to exercise maximum restraint.  We take positive note of reports that the two countries have engaged to de‑escalate the situation."

Earlier, deaths of three Indian soldiers was reported which was later changed to 20.

The Indian Army in a statement on Tuesday 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."

The statement said that almost the same number of Chinese troops have been killed during the clashes in the Galwan Valley.

"The Indian Army is firmly committed to protect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the nation," the official release said.

Though, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), blamed China for the incident and alleged that it tried to unilaterally change the status and "departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley".

While, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held two review meetings over developments in eastern Ladakh. A meeting was held at his residence was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat and Army Chief General MM Naravane.

Meanwhile, China`s Vice Foreign Minister Luo Zhaohui and Indian Ambassador to China Vikram Misri met in Beijing, ANI reported.