'Words cannot describe the pain I feel': Rahul Gandhi pays tribute to Ladakh martyrs

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi paid his tributes to 20 Indian soldiers who were martyred following a violent clash with Chinese troops in Galwan, eastern Ladakh.

New Delhi: Former Congress chief Rahul Gandhi condoled the death of 20 Indian soldiers who were martyred in a violent clash with Chinese troops in Galwan valley of eastern Ladakh.

Taking to Twitter, the Gandhi scion wrote, "Words cannot describe the pain I feel for the officers and men who sacrificed their lives for our country."

• Words cannot describe the pain I feel for the officers and men who sacrificed their lives for our country.
  
  My condolences to all their loved ones. We stand with you in this difficult time.

  — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 16, 2020 " class="align-text-top noRightClick twitterSection" data="

  Words cannot describe the pain I feel for the officers and men who sacrificed their lives for our country.
  
  My condolences to all their loved ones. We stand with you in this difficult time.

  — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 16, 2020

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  Words cannot describe the pain I feel for the officers and men who sacrificed their lives for our country.
  
  My condolences to all their loved ones. We stand with you in this difficult time.

  — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) June 16, 2020

"My condolences to all their loved ones. We stand with you in this difficult time," he added.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi also offered her condolences to the families of the martyred soldiers in Ladakh.

"My tributes to their undaunting courage and condolences to the bereaved families. We stand together in defending our security and territorial integrity," Sonia Gandhi said in a statement

Read: India, China armies’ brawl at Galwan takes deadly turn, at least 20 Indian soldiers dead

Giving a deadly turn to a brawl that is replete with very deep implications, a bloody fistfight broke out on Monday night at the at least 17,000 feet high Galwan Valley in eastern Ladakh between soldiers of the Indian Army and the Chinese PLA threatening a much bigger escalation in the already bellicose and uncertain relationship between India and China.

At least 20 Indian soldiers were killed including 17, who were critically injured in the violent face-off. In the statement the Army said that the soldiers, who were exposed to sub-zero temperatures in the high altitude terrain, have succumbed to their injuries.

This is the first big violent incident between the two militaries in the last 45 years.