Villagers in Nepal have confirmed reports of China seizing 150 hectares of their territory, despite China’s denial and Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli-led government’s silence on the issue. According to reports, China allegedly began seizing Nepali land in five frontier districts in May, sending members of its People’s Liberation Army (PLA) across undefended areas of the border.

In Humla district, the PLA troops crossed the border into Limi Valley and Hilsa, moving stone pillars, which had previously demarcated the boundary, further into Nepalese territory before constructing alleged military bases. The PLA soldiers also allegedly moved border pillars further into the Nepalese territory in the district of Gorkha. Further annexations occurred in the Rasuwa, Sindhupalchowk and Sankuwasabha districts after Chinese engineers in the Tibet Autonomous Region diverted the flow of rivers acting as a natural boundary and claimed the previously submerged Nepalese territory.

The Chinese foreign minister, however, said that the allegation of having annexed Nepalese territory is “completely unfounded rumour.” However, on Tuesday, the villagers from the Humla district confirmed about the Chinese troops seizing Nepali land.