Action at Tsari

Action at Tsari
Part of Kashmir conflict and the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948
Date8–12 February 1948[a]
Location
Tsari[b] near Skardu, Pakistan
35°28′12″N 75°24′50″E / 35.4699°N 75.41393°E / 35.4699; 75.41393
Result

Gilgit scouts victory[4]

  • Outposts at Tsari eliminated[5]
  • All State troops eliminated[6]
Belligerents
Pakistan Dominion of Pakistan

India Dominion of India

Commanders and leaders
Maj. Ehsan Ali
Liet. Babar
Capt. Khan Jarral		 Capt. Krishan †[7]
Capt. Nek Alam
(Later defected)
Units involved

Gilgit Scouts

  • Ibex Force
    • A wing
    • D Wing
  • Muslim Deserters

State forces

Strength
Initial strength:
~2 platoons,[8]
(250 men)
After defection:
~3 platoons		 Initial strength:
~2 platoons
After defection:
~1 platoon
Casualties and losses
Unknown All killed[1][9]

The Action at Tsari[1] (also spelled Saari)[10] occurred during the Indo-Pakistani war of 1947–1948 in the Gilgit-Baltistan sector at Tsari, on the banks of the Indus River near Skardu, from 11 to 12 February 1948. The conflict involved the Gilgit Scouts and the Jammu and Kashmir forces. The Ibex Force of the Gilgit Scouts, led by Major Ehsan, planned an attack on the Tsari outposts along the Indus River. These outposts had been established by Colonel Sher Jung Thapa as a defensive measure and to warn the Skardu garrison in case of an assault. Upon the arrival of the Gilgit Scouts, the Muslim troops stationed at the state forces' outpost, including their commander, Captain Nek Alam, defected to the Gilgit Scouts.[11][12]

The platoon under Captain Krishan Singh exchanged fire with the "D" wing of the Gilgit Scouts after being spotted during the assault. Captain Singh then withdrew his troops to a nearby cave that overlooked their previous position. A Muslim soldier within the Gilgit Scouts spread rumors of a large-scale assault by the state forces, causing the entire Gilgit force to withdraw, except for Bakhtawar Shah, who discovered the state forces' platoon hiding in the cave and forced them to surrender.[1][10][13]

After learning that they were not surrounded by a large force, Captain Singh and his platoon attempted to escape. This led to a face-to-face confrontation in which all the state troops, including Captain Singh, were killed. Since runners were the only means of communication between Skardu and Tsari, none of the state troops returned to Skardu to report the attack, leaving Colonel Thapa and his forces unaware of the arrival of the Gilgit Scouts. Assistance from the Raja of Rondu, combined with details provided by the Muslim soldiers, led to the capture of Rondu. The Gilgit Scouts then planned to secure all of Skardu, launching an assault on 11 February, with reinforcements from Tsari joining them on 12 February.[14][4][12]

  1. ^ a b c d e Dani (1989), p. 379
  2. ^ Khan, Masud Ahmad (27 September 2020). "Surrender at Skardu—1948". The Nation. Archived from the original on 31 March 2023. Retrieved 23 August 2024.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference :9 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :8 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Prasad (1987), p. 286
  6. ^ Gulati (2000), p. 65
  7. ^ Singh (2010), p. 251Dani (1989), p. 379
  8. ^ Dani (1989), p. 378-379
  9. ^ Singh (2010), p. 251
  10. ^ a b Jaffri (2019), p. 29
  11. ^ Gulati (2000), p. 65
  12. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference :7 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference :10 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference :11 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).


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