SRINAGAR, India (AP) — China and India are pulling back front-line troops from disputed portions of their mountain border where they have been in a standoff for months. Both countries say the troops began the disengagement on Wednesday at the southern and northern banks of Pangong Lake in the Ladakh region. Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh told Parliament the pullback will occur in a phased, coordinated and verified manner. The standoff began in May when Indian and Chinese soldiers ignored each other’s verbal warnings, triggering a yelling match, stone-throwing and fistfights at the lake. In June, tensions farther north exploded into hand-to-hand combat with clubs, stones and fists that left 20 Indian soldiers dead. China is believed to also have had casualties.
