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Battle of Akora Khattak

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Battle of Akora
Part of the Afghan–Sikh Wars
Date21 December 1826
Location
Akora
Result Mujahideen Victory[1][2][3]
Belligerents
Sikh Empire Syed Ahmad Barelvi
Commanders and leaders
Budh Singh Sandhanwalia
Atar Singh Sandhanwalia[4]		 Syed Ahmad Barelvi[5][6]
Khadi Khan
Baqar Ali †
Allahbakhsh Khan †
Strength
4000+[5][7] 1500[1]
Casualties and losses
500–700[1][5][8][9] 36 Hindustanis and 46 Kandahari Pashtuns[10]

The Battle of Akora Khattak was fought between the Sikh Empire and Mujahideen, mainly Afghans, under Syed Ahmad Barelvi.[1][11] Local Yusufzai and Khattak Pashtuns, led by Khadi Khan, supported Sayyid, and the attack was successful, resulting in significant casualties for the opposition.[12][13]

Battle

Akora, located 18 miles from Attock across the Indus, held strategic importance. The area was inhabited by Khattak Afghans led by Najaf Khan, who retreated into the hills when the Sikhs conquered Peshawar. At this time, Budh Singh Sandhanwalia was stationed in Akora with 4,000 troops.[14][15] Sayyid Ahmad Barelvi gathered his Pashtun soldiers for a nocturnal assault. His forces comprised Kandharis, Yusafzais, and Khattaks. In the early morning of December 21, 1826, when the Sikhs were sleeping in the bitter cold, Allahbakhsh Khan led the Ghazis in their attack. The Sikhs suffered heavy casualties in the initial assault. Budh Singh quickly organized his men and counterattacked the Ghazis, who retreated into the hills. However, Budh Singh failed to capitalize on his victory. Sayyid's forces lost 46 Pashtuns, including Patna's Maulvi Baqar Ali and their leader Allahbakhsh Khan, while the Sikhs lost between 500 and 700 well-equipped soldiers.[16][17][18]

Aftermath

Following the successful guerrilla attack, the Yusufzai and Khattak tribesmen, having suffered very few casualties, returned to the hills. Subsequently, these tribesmen launched numerous guerrilla attacks against the Sikhs.[19] The Sayyid's army attacked the Sikhs at Saidu Sharif, which ultimately led to the Battle of Saidu.

References

  1. ^ a b c d Altaf Qadir 2014, p. 62.
  2. ^ "Islamic Studies". Islamic Research Institute. August 27, 1996 – via Google Books.
  3. ^ "The Encyclopaedia of Islam". Brill. August 27, 1960 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ Sir Jadunath Sarkar Commemoration Volumes: Essays presented to Sir Jadunath Sarkar. Department of History, Panjab University. 1958.
  5. ^ a b c "History of the Sikhs Vol. V the Sikh Lion of Lahore (Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1799-1839)".
  6. ^ Politics of Worship in the Contemporary Middle East: Sainthood in Fragile States. BRILL. 15 April 2013. ISBN 9789004249226.
  7. ^ The Sikh Reference Book. Sikh Educational Trust for Sikh University Centre, Denmark. 1997. ISBN 9780969596424.
  8. ^ The Voice of Islam. Jamiyat-ul-Falah. 1952.
  9. ^ Muslim Political Thought in India. Anmol Publications. 1998. ISBN 9788174889430.
  10. ^ "History of the Sikhs Vol. V the Sikh Lion of Lahore (Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1799-1839)".
  11. ^ Singh, Rishi (2014-12-31). State Formation and the Establishment of Non-Muslim Hegemony: Post-Mughal 19th-century Punjab. SAGE Publications India. ISBN 978-93-5150-504-4.
  12. ^ Perspective. Pakistan Publications. 1970. p. 6.
  13. ^ Rashid, Haroon (2002). History of the Pathans: The Sarabani Pathans. Haroon Rashid. p. 267.
  14. ^ Gupta, Hari Ram (1978). History of the Sikhs: The Sikh Lion of Lahore, Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1799-1839. Munshiram Manoharlal. p. 161. ISBN 978-81-215-0515-4.
  15. ^ www.DiscoverSikhism.com. History Of The Sikhs Vol. V The Sikh Lion of Lahore (Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1799-1839). p. 161.
  16. ^ Taher, Mohamed (1998). Muslim Political Thought in India. Anmol Publications. p. 196. ISBN 978-81-7488-943-0.
  17. ^ Islamic Studies. Islamic Research Institute. 1968.
  18. ^ McQueen, Sir John W. (1994). Unseen Faces and Untold Cases, Heroes and Villains of Sikh Rule. Bahri Publications. p. 96.
  19. ^ www.DiscoverSikhism.com. History Of The Sikhs Vol. V The Sikh Lion of Lahore (Maharaja Ranjit Singh, 1799-1839).

Sources

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