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Battle of Sylhet
The Battle of Sylhet was a major battle fought between the advancing Indian Army, Bangladesh Forces and the defending Pakistan Army at Sylhet during the Bangladesh Liberation War. The battle took place from 7 December to 15 December. It was a succession of the Battle of Gazipur in Kulaura.
During Operation Searchlight, Sylhet was captured by the Pakistan army without resistance on 26 March 1971. However, the military failed to neutralize the rebel Bangladeshis around Moulvibazar, Sunamganj and Shamshernagar due to deficiency of just one battalion the 31st Punjab Regiment and the revolt of East Pakistan Rifles and Ansar troops around Sylhet District. During the monsoon offensive the Bangladeshi troops under command of major Chitta Ranjan Dutta able to re-capture Sylhet town on August 1971 nevertheless the achievement was truncated as the upcoming Pakistani troops of the 313rd infantry brigade under brigadier general Iftikhar Rana countered the Bangladeshis and took over Sylhet at beginning of September 1971. Major Dutta retreated to East Jaintia Hills district of India. By October that year, the Adhoc 202nd infantry brigade was orchestrated in Jalalabad camp in command of brigadier general Salimullah Chohan under the 14th infantry division in Brahmanbaria. By November the battles between the Bangladeshis and Pakistanis remain inconclusive as the Z Force of Bangladesh forces under lieutenant colonel Ziaur Rahman remain formidable at outskirts of the city especially at Moulvibazar, Sunamganj and Habiganj.
In India the Third Indira Gandhi ministry insisted their military to intervene the affairs at East Pakistan. Then chief of army staff general Sam Manekshaw took autonomy from the Indian government and cited the army will engage when it is prepared. Manekshaw suggested that the army is incapable of intervening during the monsoon as the terrain of East India is mostly unsustainable. Notwithstanding, the military provided ordnance, medical aid and training to Bangladeshi forces from July 1971. On 3 December 1971, Manekshaw's compatriot and commander of Indian Eastern Command lieutenant general Jagjit Singh Aurora commenced operations at East Pakistan in response of Indo-Pakistani war of 1971. Aurora designated major general K. V. Krishna Rao, the general officer commanding of 8th Mountain division as officer in charge of eastern theatre spanning Sylhet and Tripura. On 7 December Rao orchestrated an operation aiding commander of Bangladeshi Z forces lieutenant colonel Ziaur Rahman and liberate Sylhet from Pakistan.
On 21 November 1971, 4th and 5th Gorkha Rifles crossed the Surma River and charged the Pakistan positions in Sunamganj District. After heavy fighting, they captured Atgram along with a large amount of arms and ammunition. Pakistani troops had set up defences at the bank of the Kushiyara River in Zakiganj. Indian troops consisted of 9 guards and two companies of 87th Border Security Force. After a fierce battle, Zakiganj was captured by Indian military. The activities and actions of Bangladeshi force and the Gorkha rifles made Pakistanis believe that the attack would come from the north and east. Rao came up with a different plan to attack from the south. He assembled two regular brigades for the advance from the south and stationed the 4th and 5th Gorkha battalion on Sunamganj with the Z forces of Bangladesh.
On 4 December 1971, the 6th Rajput regiment along with 4th and 5th Gorkha Rifles of the Indian 59th Infantry brigade commenced to capture Kulaura Upazila held by Pakistanis. Kulaura eventually fell to 4th, 5th Gorkha Rifles after a long confrontation. Following this, 6th Rajput battalion of apprehended the 22nd Baloch Regiment of the Pakistan army in Tenchu ganj. The 81st Mountain Brigade started operations on the same day. They commenced to capture the airfield and Chhatarpur tea factory. The 10 Mahars battalion took over Chattarpur tea factory by after a stiff fight. The 4th Kumaon, assisted by two companies of 3rd Punjab, captured the airfield on 6 December, after a two-day battle. The airfield was heavily mined and cratered. The 81st Mountain Brigade was now tasked to capture Moulvi Bazar, which was subjected to heavy artillery shelling by Bangladeshi force's 2nd field artillery battery and air attacks of the Indian Air Force. The Pakistani troops had to withdraw from Moulvibazar on 8 and 9 December and Bangladeshi-Indian forces successfully captured Moulvibazar on 9 December 1971 and secured the bridge crossing on the Manu River a transboundary stream the following day.
The Z Force was responsible for emancipating Sylhet. This included
Sector IV was responsible for emancipating Sylhet comprising East Pakistan Rifles, Ansar and civilian troops. The sector headquarters was at Habiganj.
The 8th Mountain Division was responsible for the operations in Sylhet. This included:-
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Battle of Sylhet
The Battle of Sylhet was a major battle fought between the advancing Indian Army, Bangladesh Forces and the defending Pakistan Army at Sylhet during the Bangladesh Liberation War. The battle took place from 7 December to 15 December. It was a succession of the Battle of Gazipur in Kulaura.
During Operation Searchlight, Sylhet was captured by the Pakistan army without resistance on 26 March 1971. However, the military failed to neutralize the rebel Bangladeshis around Moulvibazar, Sunamganj and Shamshernagar due to deficiency of just one battalion the 31st Punjab Regiment and the revolt of East Pakistan Rifles and Ansar troops around Sylhet District. During the monsoon offensive the Bangladeshi troops under command of major Chitta Ranjan Dutta able to re-capture Sylhet town on August 1971 nevertheless the achievement was truncated as the upcoming Pakistani troops of the 313rd infantry brigade under brigadier general Iftikhar Rana countered the Bangladeshis and took over Sylhet at beginning of September 1971. Major Dutta retreated to East Jaintia Hills district of India. By October that year, the Adhoc 202nd infantry brigade was orchestrated in Jalalabad camp in command of brigadier general Salimullah Chohan under the 14th infantry division in Brahmanbaria. By November the battles between the Bangladeshis and Pakistanis remain inconclusive as the Z Force of Bangladesh forces under lieutenant colonel Ziaur Rahman remain formidable at outskirts of the city especially at Moulvibazar, Sunamganj and Habiganj.
In India the Third Indira Gandhi ministry insisted their military to intervene the affairs at East Pakistan. Then chief of army staff general Sam Manekshaw took autonomy from the Indian government and cited the army will engage when it is prepared. Manekshaw suggested that the army is incapable of intervening during the monsoon as the terrain of East India is mostly unsustainable. Notwithstanding, the military provided ordnance, medical aid and training to Bangladeshi forces from July 1971. On 3 December 1971, Manekshaw's compatriot and commander of Indian Eastern Command lieutenant general Jagjit Singh Aurora commenced operations at East Pakistan in response of Indo-Pakistani war of 1971. Aurora designated major general K. V. Krishna Rao, the general officer commanding of 8th Mountain division as officer in charge of eastern theatre spanning Sylhet and Tripura. On 7 December Rao orchestrated an operation aiding commander of Bangladeshi Z forces lieutenant colonel Ziaur Rahman and liberate Sylhet from Pakistan.
On 21 November 1971, 4th and 5th Gorkha Rifles crossed the Surma River and charged the Pakistan positions in Sunamganj District. After heavy fighting, they captured Atgram along with a large amount of arms and ammunition. Pakistani troops had set up defences at the bank of the Kushiyara River in Zakiganj. Indian troops consisted of 9 guards and two companies of 87th Border Security Force. After a fierce battle, Zakiganj was captured by Indian military. The activities and actions of Bangladeshi force and the Gorkha rifles made Pakistanis believe that the attack would come from the north and east. Rao came up with a different plan to attack from the south. He assembled two regular brigades for the advance from the south and stationed the 4th and 5th Gorkha battalion on Sunamganj with the Z forces of Bangladesh.
On 4 December 1971, the 6th Rajput regiment along with 4th and 5th Gorkha Rifles of the Indian 59th Infantry brigade commenced to capture Kulaura Upazila held by Pakistanis. Kulaura eventually fell to 4th, 5th Gorkha Rifles after a long confrontation. Following this, 6th Rajput battalion of apprehended the 22nd Baloch Regiment of the Pakistan army in Tenchu ganj. The 81st Mountain Brigade started operations on the same day. They commenced to capture the airfield and Chhatarpur tea factory. The 10 Mahars battalion took over Chattarpur tea factory by after a stiff fight. The 4th Kumaon, assisted by two companies of 3rd Punjab, captured the airfield on 6 December, after a two-day battle. The airfield was heavily mined and cratered. The 81st Mountain Brigade was now tasked to capture Moulvi Bazar, which was subjected to heavy artillery shelling by Bangladeshi force's 2nd field artillery battery and air attacks of the Indian Air Force. The Pakistani troops had to withdraw from Moulvibazar on 8 and 9 December and Bangladeshi-Indian forces successfully captured Moulvibazar on 9 December 1971 and secured the bridge crossing on the Manu River a transboundary stream the following day.
The Z Force was responsible for emancipating Sylhet. This included
Sector IV was responsible for emancipating Sylhet comprising East Pakistan Rifles, Ansar and civilian troops. The sector headquarters was at Habiganj.
The 8th Mountain Division was responsible for the operations in Sylhet. This included:-