Several dead after fighting between Chinese and Indian military

The clash happened at a disputed border in the Himalayas in the Galwan area. This is reported by the AP News Agency.

Earlier today, the Indian authorities reported that there were three deaths and in a statement from the Indian Army, Chinese soldiers also reportedly died.

The preliminary reports of the incident indicate that the fallen soldiers have not been shot, but killed in a fight with stones and wooden clubs that have been destroyed.

A spokesman for the Indian military says three Indian militants were killed during the fighting and 17 others later died from injuries. A senior Indian army officer says more than 20 Indian soldiers have also been taken into custody and several Indian soldiers remain in captivity, the New York Times reports.

China blames Indian forces along the border for provoking Chinese troops, leading to "serious physical confrontation" between the two sides, AP writes.

China has tried to play down the incident, saying at the same time that the two sides are now communicating through both their military units and their respective embassies to resolve the issue.

It was the first time in decades that soldiers were killed along the disputed border, which is nearly 3,500 kilometers long.