New Delhi, Feb 16: The Indian Army on Tuesday released images and videos to show Chinese forces were continuing to disengage from north and south banks of the Pangong Tso lake. Last week, both nations announced they had reached an agreement to withdraw forces from Pangong Tso as part of an effort to end the standoff in Ladakh that began last year.
The videos shared by the Indian Army showed Chinese forces dismantling tents and bunkers erected in the region, and personnel walking down a hillside to board trucks.
Chinese earth-movers were also being used to remove built-up structures that had been erected after the standoff began. News 18 reported, “200 Chinese tanks have receded more than 100 kilometres in a span of merely eight hours. The PLA has dismantled its jetty, helipad, tents and observation points and everything it had constructed after April 2020 between Finger 4 and Finger 8.”
According to sources, the “first phase” of the disengagement will be complete in 15-20 days.
They said the strategic heights India occupied in the south bank of Pangong Tso would be the last to be vacated in the first phase.
According to the agreement on Pangong Tso, once disengagement is complete in the region, commanders of both nations will meet within 48 hours to hold talks on pulling back from other disputed areas.