Siege of Skardu
| Siege of Skardu | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 | |||||||||
_p232_ISKARDO_FORT.jpg) A painting of Skardu Fort | |||||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Burhan-ud-Din Mata-ul-Mulk
Col. | |||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
 |
 Gilgit Scouts Chitral Scouts Chitral State Bodyguards | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 250 captured[3] | Unknown | ||||||||
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The Siege of Skardu was a prolonged military
Background
Skardu, the political centre of
Siege of Skardu
When the news of the Gilgit rebellion was received, Sher Jung Thapa was promoted to Lieut. Colonel and made commander of the remainder of the 6th battalion. He was asked to proceed to Skardu for its defence. On reaching Skardu on 3 December, he realised that his position was untenable and sought permission to withdraw the garrison and the civil administration to Kargil and also requested reinforcements. The request for withdrawal was turned down and he was asked "to hold to last man and last round". The Indian forces, along with the non-Muslim civil population of Skardu, withdrew into the Skardu Fort where they were besieged by the Ibex Force.[8] Thus began the defence of Skardu.[9]
Meanwhile, Srinagar, under the control of the Indian Army, assembled 3 successive Skardu relief columns, but they were not successful in reaching Skardu. With Gilgit under Pakistan's control and absence of any effective relief, including air dropping of ammunition, it was a matter of time before the end neared. On 11 February 1948, the Pakistani forces battled with the Skardu garrison of the fort. After a six-hour-long battle between the two, the attackers retreated. They came again on 14 February directing "harassing fire into the fort".[10]
By mid-August 1948, the Skardu garrison was in beggarly shape and the Kashmir forces left the fort in small batches on 13 August 1948. On 14 August 1948, outnumbered five to one, and with the last box of the reserve ammunition used, the garrison surrendered.
See also
- Indo-Pakistani War of 1947–1948
- 1947 Poonch rebellion
- Battle of Pandu
- Operation Datta Khel
- Military operations in Poonch (1948)
Notes
- ^ Lt. Col. Aslam Khan was a decorated officer of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces, who moved to the British Indian Army and later Pakistan Army. Officially on leave from the Pakistan Army, he described himself as a "deserter" and joined the service of the Azad Kashmir provisioinal government, .
References
- ^ "The Battle of Skardu". The Tribune (India).
- ISBN 9788187966364.
- ^ a b c d Ahmed Khan, Masud. "Surrender at Skardu".
- ^ Spare a thought for those defenders of Skardu - Tribune India
- ISBN 9788170623014.
- ISBN 9781473821873.
- ISBN 9789382652175.
- ^ India (1 January 1959). India, 1947-50: External affairs. Oxford University Press. p. 493.
- ^ "Defenders of Skardu". Tribune India. 19 August 2015.
- ^ ISBN 9788170235163.
- ^ "The Battle of Skardu". The Tribune (India).
- ISBN 9788187966364.
- ISBN 9789382652175.