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{{Short description|Siege during the First Kashmir War of 1947}} | {{Short description|Siege during the First Kashmir War of 1947}} | ||
{{EngvarB|date=October | {{EngvarB|date=October 2013}}{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}} | ||
{{Use dmy dates|date= | |||
{{Infobox military conflict | {{Infobox military conflict | ||
| conflict = Siege of Skardu | | conflict = Siege of Skardu | ||
| partof = [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947]] | | partof = the [[Indo-Pakistani War of 1947]] | ||
| image = THOMSON(1852) p232 ISKARDO FORT.jpg | | image = THOMSON(1852) p232 ISKARDO FORT.jpg | ||
| caption = | | caption = A painting of [[Skardu Fort]] | ||
| place = [[Skardu]] | | place = [[Skardu]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] | ||
| coordinates = | | coordinates = | ||
| map_type = | | map_type = | ||
| Line 17: | Line 16: | ||
| map_caption = | | map_caption = | ||
| map_label = | | map_label = | ||
| date = 11 February 1948 | | date = 11 February 1948 – 14 August 1948<br />({{Age in years, months, weeks and days|month1=2|day1=11|year1=1948|month2=8|day2=14|year2=1948}}) | ||
| territory = [[Skardu]] becomes part of [[Gilgit Baltistan|Pakistan-administered Kashmir]] | | territory = [[Skardu]] becomes part of [[Gilgit Baltistan|Pakistan-administered Kashmir]] | ||
| result = Pakistani victory<ref | | result = Pakistani victory<ref name=":0"/><ref name=khanduri/> | ||
| status = | | status = | ||
| combatants_header = | | combatants_header = | ||
| combatant1 = {{flagicon|India}} [[Dominion of India]] | | combatant1 = {{flagicon|India}} [[Dominion of India]] | ||
[[File: Flag of Jammu and Kashmir (1936-1953).svg|22px]] [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] | *[[File: Flag of Jammu and Kashmir (1936-1953).svg|22px]] [[Jammu and Kashmir (princely state)|Jammu and Kashmir]] | ||
*{{air force|India}} | |||
| combatant2 = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} [[Dominion of Pakistan]] | | combatant2 = {{flagicon|Pakistan}} [[Dominion of Pakistan]] | ||
*[[File:Flag of State of Chitral.svg|25px]] [[Chitral (princely state)|Chitral]] | *[[File:Flag of State of Chitral.svg|25px]] [[Chitral (princely state)|Chitral]] | ||
| combatant3 = | | combatant3 = | ||
| commander1 = [[ | | commander1 = {{plainlist|[[Colonel|Col.]] [[Sher Jung Thapa]]{{Surrendered}}<br />Capt. Ganga Singh{{Surrendered}}<ref name="Surrender at Skardu—1948"/><br />Capt. Parhdal Singh{{Surrendered}}<ref name="Surrender at Skardu—1948" /><br />Lt. Ajit Singh{{Surrendered}}<ref name="Surrender at Skardu—1948" />}} | ||
| commander2 = [[ | | commander2 = {{plainlist|[[Major (rank)|Maj.]] Ehsan Ali Khan<br/> [[Colonel|Col.]] [[Burhan-ud-Din of Chitral|Burhan-ud-Din]]<br/>[[Colonel|Col.]] [[Mata-ul-Mulk]]<br/>Lt. [[Babar Khan (officer)|Babar Khan]]}} | ||
| commander3 = | | commander3 = | ||
| units1 = [[Jammu and Kashmir State Forces]] | | units1 = {{Flagicon image|Flag of Jammu and Kashmir (1936-1953).svg}} [[Jammu and Kashmir State Forces]] <br/>{{air force|India}}<ref name=":0"/> | ||
| units2 = [[ | | units2 = {{Flagicon image|Flag of the Pakistani Army.svg}} [[Ibex Force]] <br/> {{Flagicon image|Flag of the Pakistani Army.svg}} [[Chitral Scouts]]<br/> [[File:Flag of State of Chitral.svg|25px]] [[Chitral Bodyguard|Chitral State Bodyguards]] | ||
| units3 = | | units3 = | ||
| strength1 = | | strength1 = 285<ref name=":0" /> | ||
| strength2 = | | strength2 = ~ 400 {{small|([[Ibex Force]], February – April 1948)}}<ref name="Surrender at Skardu—1948" /> | ||
~ 300 {{small|([[Chitral Bodyguard|Chitral Forces]], June – August 1948)}}<ref name="Surrender at Skardu—1948" /> | |||
| strength3 = | | strength3 = | ||
| casualties1 = | | casualties1 = 250 captured<ref name="Surrender at Skardu—1948" /> | ||
| casualties2 = | | casualties2 = Unknown | ||
| casualties3 = | | casualties3 = | ||
| notes = | | notes = | ||
| campaignbox = | | campaignbox = {{Campaignbox Indo-Pakistani Wars}} | ||
}} | }} | ||
The '''siege of Skardu''' was a prolonged military [[blockade]] carried out by the pro-Pakistani forces of [[Ibex Force]], [[Chitral Scouts]] and [[Chitral Bodyguard|Chitral State Bodyguards]], against the [[Jammu & Kashmir Rifles|Jammu and Kashmir State Forces]] and the [[Indian Army]] in the town of [[Skardu]], during the [[First Kashmir War]] of 1947–48.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Cheema |first=Amar |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Qc25BwAAQBAJ |title=The Crimson Chinar: The Kashmir Conflict: A Politico Military Perspective |date=2015 |publisher=Lancer Publishers |isbn=978-8-170-62301-4 |pages=82-89 |language=en}}</ref> The victory of pro-Pakistani forces resulted in Skardu becoming part of modern-day [[Gilgit-Baltistan]]. | |||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
[[Gilgit Scouts]], the British-officered force of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir stationed in Gilgit for frontier defence, launched [[Operation Datta Khel]] on 31 October 1947 after hearing the news of Jammu and Kashmir's [[Instrument of Accession (Jammu and Kashmir)|accession]] to India. They were joined by rebels from the 6th battalion of the [[Jammu and Kashmir State Forces]] stationed at [[Bunji, Pakistan|Bunji]], annihilated the rest of the battalion and imprisoned its commander Col. Abdul Majid. The combined forces of the Gilgit Scouts and rebels were placed under the command of Lt. Col. [[Aslam Khan (Pakistani brigadier)|Aslam Khan]] by the Azad Kashmir provisional government.{{Efn|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, .}} Aslam Khan divided the troops into three forces of 400 men each, and deployed one of them, the "[[Ibex Force]]" under Major Ehsan Ali Khan, to take Skardu.<ref name="Surrender at Skardu—1948">{{cite web |last1= Khan |first1=Masud Ahmed |title=Surrender at Skardu—1948 |date=27 September 2020 |url=https://www.nation.com.pk/28-Sep-2020/surrender-at-skardu-1948|newspaper= The Nation}}</ref> | |||
Skardu, the political centre of [[Baltistan]], was the headquarters of a [[tehsil]] of the [[Ladakh Wazarat]]. The administration of the wazarat was stationed at Skardu for six months in each year and at [[Leh]] for the other six months. At the time of the rebellion, a company of the 6th battalion of Jammu and Kashmir State Forces under the command of a [[Gurkha]] officer, Major [[Sher Jung Thapa]] was at Leh. | |||
== Siege of Skardu == | == 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 reportedly asked "to hold to last man and last round".<ref name=":0" /> The Indian forces, along with the non-Muslim civil population of Skardu, withdrew into the Skardu Fort.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Tsw5AQAAIAAJ |title=External affairs |date=1959-01-01 |publisher=Oxford University Press |editor-last=Poplai |editor-first=Sundar Lal |series=India, 1947–50 |volume=2 |page=493 |language=en |oclc=361810}}</ref> On 1 February, 1948 the leading column of the Ibex force left [[Rakaposhi-Haramosh Mountains|Harmosh]], 25 miles east of Gilgit and reached Tsari on 9 February where it quickly [[Action at Tsari|overpowered the two Indian platoons]] left by Col. Thapa. Skardu was besieged on 11 February.<ref name="Surrender at Skardu—1948" /> | |||
Meanwhile in [[Srinagar]], under the control of the Indian Army, a Skardu relief column consisting of two companies was assembled, which crossed [[Zoji La|Zoji La Pass]] and reached Skardu on 10 February.<ref name=":0" /> On 11 February, the Ibex Force battled with the Indian garrison. After a six-hour-long battle between the two, the besiegers retreated. They came again on 14 February directing "harassing fire into the fort".<ref name="Chakravorty">{{cite book |author1=Chakravorty |first=B. L. |title=Stories of Heroism: PVC & MVC Winners |publisher=Allied Publishers |isbn=978-8-170-23516-3 |pages=352–353}}</ref> | |||
In mid-March a second Indian relief column consisting of 350 men and 600 coolies under the command of Brig. Faqir Singh was [[Battle of Thorgo|ambushed and destroyed at Thorgo]] by Ibex Force, 10 miles away from Skardu. Renewed attacks were carried on the besieged garrison on March 24 and half of the Indian positions were captured.<ref name="Surrender at Skardu—1948" /> A third Indian relief column consisting of two battalions under the command of Lt. Col. Sampuran Singh and Lt. Col. Kirpal Singh was sent in April and ambushed at Parkutta by the Ibex Force on 20 April, which developed into a full scale battle by the mid-May. As a result the siege of Skardu was lifted and the responsibility of blockade was handed over to the local volunteers as the rest of force was sent to Parkutta.<ref name="Surrender at Skardu—1948" /> On 29 April Major Ehsan Ali left Skardu, giving the charge to Lt. [[Babar Khan (officer)|Babar Khan]].{{Sfn|Dani|1991|p=387}} | |||
In June the prince of [[Chitral (princely state)|Chitral]] [[Mata-ul-Mulk]] arrived in Skardu with his brother [[Burhan-ud-Din (Indian National Army officer)|Burhan-ud-Din]] and a contingent of Chitral bodyguards. He took charge after Babar Khan was sent to Ladakh on 12 June. His arrival was instrumental in turning the tide of war as he brought with him four pieces of light artillery. On 17 June Mata-ul-Mulk communicated with Thapa through a captured Indian POW:<ref name=":1">{{Cite book |last=Tikoo |first=Tej Kumar |title=1947-48 Indo-Pak War: Fall of Gilgit and Siege and Fall of Skardu |date=2013 |publisher=[[Vivekananda International Foundation]] |pages=15–16}}</ref> | |||
{{Blockquote|text=You have done your duty as every soldier should do ... I therefore advise you to lay down arms and I take full responsibility to give protection to one and all. You must trust me and believe me as I am not only a soldier but also possess royal blood ... as a proof of my goodwill I wish to inform you that not a single [[Sikh]] or [[Hindu]] resident of Chitral has been hurt and not a single non-Muslim property looted or damaged and up till now they carry on their business as if nothing at all has happened. I therefore advise you again to lay down arms and thus save your lives. An Officer should accompany back the white flag if you consider my words sincere and honest.}} | |||
Thapa however treated the prince's message with contempt and refused.<ref name=":1" /> From 19 June till the end the Indian garrison had the continuous support of the [[Royal Indian Air Force]].{{Sfn|Dani|1991|pp=387–388}} By mid-August 1948, the Indian garrison was in beggarly shape and the Kashmir forces began to leave the fort in small batches on 13 August 1948. On 14 August 1948 and with the last box of the reserve ammunition used, the garrison capitulated to col. Mata-ul-Mulk.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Singh |first=Harbans |title=Spare a thought for those defenders of Skardu |url=http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/spare-a-thought-for-those-defenders-of-skardu/121327.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160820000228/http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/comment/spare-a-thought-for-those-defenders-of-skardu/121327.html |archive-date=20 August 2016 |website=Tribune India |publication-date=19 August 2015}}</ref><ref name="khanduri">{{Cite book |last=Khanduri |first=Chandra B. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZWXfAAAAMAAJ |title=Thimayya: An Amazing Life |date=2006 |publisher=Knowledge World |isbn=978-8-187-96636-4 |pages=123-129 |language=en}}</ref> All the remaining men were reportedly killed, except for Col. Thapa and his Sikh orderly.<ref name="Chakravorty" /> Col. Thapa, who had earned his respect from Mata-ul-Mulk due to his last stand, was released a few weeks later, and was awarded [[Maha Vir Chakra]] by the Indian government. | |||
== See also == | |||
* [[Kashmir conflict]] | |||
** [[1947 Gilgit rebellion]] | |||
** [[1948 military operations in Ladakh]] | |||
==Notes== | |||
{{notelist}} | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{Reflist}} | {{Reflist}} | ||
[[Category:Indo-Pakistani | ==Sources== | ||
* {{Cite book |last=Saraf |first=M. Yusuf |author-link=Muhammad Yusuf Saraf |url= |title=Kashmiris Fight For Freedom (1819–1946) |date=2015|orig-date=1979 |publisher=[[Ferozsons]] |chapter-url= https://archive.org/details/dli.pahar.3541/page/n292/mode/1up?q= |volume=II |location=Lahore |pages=279–286 |chapter=XXVII. Liberation of Gilgit |oclc=917824524}} | |||
* {{Cite book |last=Dani |first=Ahmad Hasan |author-link=Ahmad Hasan Dani |url= |title=History of Northern Areas of Pakistan |date=1991 |publisher=National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research, Quaid-i-Azam University |isbn=978-969-415-016-1 |edition=2nd |location=Islamabad |pages=380–390 |language=en |chapter= Struggle for Freedom (1947–1948)|orig-date=1989}} | |||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Skardu 1948}} | |||
[[Category:Battles of the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948]] | |||
[[Category:History of Gilgit-Baltistan]] | [[Category:History of Gilgit-Baltistan]] | ||
[[Category:Jammu and Kashmir State Forces]] | |||
[[Category:Skardu District]] | |||
[[Category:Battles involving the Rajputs]] | |||
[[Category:Sieges involving India]] | |||
[[Category:Sieges involving Pakistan]] | |||
[[Category:20th-century sieges]] | |||
[[Category:February 1948 in Asia]] | |||
[[Category:March 1948 in Asia]] | |||
[[Category:April 1948 in Asia]] | |||
[[Category:May 1948 in Asia]] | |||
[[Category:June 1948 in Asia]] | |||
[[Category:July 1948 in Asia]] | |||
[[Category:August 1948 in Asia]] | |||
Latest revision as of 01:32, 27 February 2026
| Siege of Skardu | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 | |||||||||
_p232_ISKARDO_FORT.jpg) A painting of Skardu Fort | |||||||||
| |||||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||||
|
Col. Sher Jung ThapaTemplate:Surrendered Capt. Ganga SinghTemplate:Surrendered[3] Capt. Parhdal SinghTemplate:Surrendered[3] Lt. Ajit SinghTemplate:Surrendered[3] | |||||||||
| Units involved | |||||||||
 Jammu and Kashmir State Forces  Indian Air Force[1] |
 Ibex Force Chitral Scouts Chitral State Bodyguards | ||||||||
| Strength | |||||||||
| 285[1] |
~ 400 (Ibex Force, February – April 1948)[3] ~ 300 (Chitral Forces, June – August 1948)[3] | ||||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||||
| 250 captured[3] | Unknown | ||||||||
.svg){kind=small}
The siege of Skardu was a prolonged military blockade carried out by the pro-Pakistani forces of Ibex Force, Chitral Scouts and Chitral State Bodyguards, against the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces and the Indian Army in the town of Skardu, during the First Kashmir War of 1947–48.[4] The victory of pro-Pakistani forces resulted in Skardu becoming part of modern-day Gilgit-Baltistan.
Background[edit | edit source]
Gilgit Scouts, the British-officered force of the princely state of Jammu and Kashmir stationed in Gilgit for frontier defence, launched Operation Datta Khel on 31 October 1947 after hearing the news of Jammu and Kashmir's accession to India. They were joined by rebels from the 6th battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir State Forces stationed at Bunji, annihilated the rest of the battalion and imprisoned its commander Col. Abdul Majid. The combined forces of the Gilgit Scouts and rebels were placed under the command of Lt. Col. Aslam Khan by the Azad Kashmir provisional government.[lower-alpha 1] Aslam Khan divided the troops into three forces of 400 men each, and deployed one of them, the "Ibex Force" under Major Ehsan Ali Khan, to take Skardu.[3]
Skardu, the political centre of Baltistan, was the headquarters of a tehsil of the Ladakh Wazarat. The administration of the wazarat was stationed at Skardu for six months in each year and at Leh for the other six months. At the time of the rebellion, a company of the 6th battalion of Jammu and Kashmir State Forces under the command of a Gurkha officer, Major Sher Jung Thapa was at Leh.
Siege of Skardu[edit | edit source]
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 reportedly asked "to hold to last man and last round".[1] The Indian forces, along with the non-Muslim civil population of Skardu, withdrew into the Skardu Fort.[5] On 1 February, 1948 the leading column of the Ibex force left Harmosh, 25 miles east of Gilgit and reached Tsari on 9 February where it quickly overpowered the two Indian platoons left by Col. Thapa. Skardu was besieged on 11 February.[3]
Meanwhile in Srinagar, under the control of the Indian Army, a Skardu relief column consisting of two companies was assembled, which crossed Zoji La Pass and reached Skardu on 10 February.[1] On 11 February, the Ibex Force battled with the Indian garrison. After a six-hour-long battle between the two, the besiegers retreated. They came again on 14 February directing "harassing fire into the fort".[6]
In mid-March a second Indian relief column consisting of 350 men and 600 coolies under the command of Brig. Faqir Singh was ambushed and destroyed at Thorgo by Ibex Force, 10 miles away from Skardu. Renewed attacks were carried on the besieged garrison on March 24 and half of the Indian positions were captured.[3] A third Indian relief column consisting of two battalions under the command of Lt. Col. Sampuran Singh and Lt. Col. Kirpal Singh was sent in April and ambushed at Parkutta by the Ibex Force on 20 April, which developed into a full scale battle by the mid-May. As a result the siege of Skardu was lifted and the responsibility of blockade was handed over to the local volunteers as the rest of force was sent to Parkutta.[3] On 29 April Major Ehsan Ali left Skardu, giving the charge to Lt. Babar Khan.[7]
In June the prince of Chitral Mata-ul-Mulk arrived in Skardu with his brother Burhan-ud-Din and a contingent of Chitral bodyguards. He took charge after Babar Khan was sent to Ladakh on 12 June. His arrival was instrumental in turning the tide of war as he brought with him four pieces of light artillery. On 17 June Mata-ul-Mulk communicated with Thapa through a captured Indian POW:[8]
You have done your duty as every soldier should do ... I therefore advise you to lay down arms and I take full responsibility to give protection to one and all. You must trust me and believe me as I am not only a soldier but also possess royal blood ... as a proof of my goodwill I wish to inform you that not a single Sikh or Hindu resident of Chitral has been hurt and not a single non-Muslim property looted or damaged and up till now they carry on their business as if nothing at all has happened. I therefore advise you again to lay down arms and thus save your lives. An Officer should accompany back the white flag if you consider my words sincere and honest.
Thapa however treated the prince's message with contempt and refused.[8] From 19 June till the end the Indian garrison had the continuous support of the Royal Indian Air Force.[9] By mid-August 1948, the Indian garrison was in beggarly shape and the Kashmir forces began to leave the fort in small batches on 13 August 1948. On 14 August 1948 and with the last box of the reserve ammunition used, the garrison capitulated to col. Mata-ul-Mulk.[1][2] All the remaining men were reportedly killed, except for Col. Thapa and his Sikh orderly.[6] Col. Thapa, who had earned his respect from Mata-ul-Mulk due to his last stand, was released a few weeks later, and was awarded Maha Vir Chakra by the Indian government.
See also[edit | edit source]
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 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[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Singh, Harbans (19 August 2015). "Spare a thought for those defenders of Skardu". Tribune India. Archived from the original on 20 August 2016.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Khanduri, Chandra B. (2006). Thimayya: An Amazing Life. Knowledge World. pp. 123–129. ISBN 978-8-187-96636-4.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 Khan, Masud Ahmed (27 September 2020). "Surrender at Skardu—1948". The Nation.
- ↑ Cheema, Amar (2015). The Crimson Chinar: The Kashmir Conflict: A Politico Military Perspective. Lancer Publishers. pp. 82–89. ISBN 978-8-170-62301-4.
- ↑ Poplai, Sundar Lal, ed. (1 January 1959). External affairs. India, 1947–50. Vol. 2. Oxford University Press. p. 493. OCLC 361810.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Chakravorty, B. L. Stories of Heroism: PVC & MVC Winners. Allied Publishers. pp. 352–353. ISBN 978-8-170-23516-3.
- ↑ Dani 1991, p. 387.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 Tikoo, Tej Kumar (2013). 1947-48 Indo-Pak War: Fall of Gilgit and Siege and Fall of Skardu. Vivekananda International Foundation. pp. 15–16.
- ↑ Dani 1991, pp. 387–388.
Sources[edit | edit source]
- Saraf, M. Yusuf (2015) [1979]. "XXVII. Liberation of Gilgit". Kashmiris Fight For Freedom (1819–1946). Vol. II. Lahore: Ferozsons. pp. 279–286. OCLC 917824524.
- Dani, Ahmad Hasan (1991) [1989]. "Struggle for Freedom (1947–1948)". History of Northern Areas of Pakistan (2nd ed.). Islamabad: National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research, Quaid-i-Azam University. pp. 380–390. ISBN 978-969-415-016-1.