Battle of Jamrud (1837)

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of Jamrud
partof=Afghan-Sikh wars


caption=
date=April, 1837
place=Jamrud, modern day Khyber Agency
casus= Sikh occupation of the North-West Frontier Province
territory= Khyber Pass
result=Afghans halt Sikh expansion but fail to dislodge Sikhs from Peshawar
combatant1=Sikh Empire
combatant2=Durrani Empire
commander1=Hari Singh Nalwa
commander2=Akbar Khan & Abdul Samad Khan
strength1=1000 in the fort, with 2000-3000.
strength2=8,000, with approx 15,000 irregulars

Introduction

The Battle of Jamrud, was fought between the Sikhs under Ranjit Singh and the Afghan Emir Dost Muhammad Khan. The Afghans had been facing a succession of defeats at the hands of the Sikhs over the years precdeding, and had seen their once mighty Empire shrink with the loss of Punjab, Kashmir, Multan and more painfully what now constitutes the North West Frontier Province. The last loss was the most personal as the inhabitants of the region were fellow Pashtuns and the town of Peshawar was the summer capital of the Afghan Emirs.

Background

In 1837, the Sikh Army at Peshawar army was back at Lahore for the wedding of Kanwar Nau-nihal Singh, the son of Maharaja Ranjit Singh. It is alleged that inside information on the goings on in Lahore were sent to Kabul by the Dogras which encouraged the Afghans to attack and reclaim the land of their fellow tribesmen. Such a message was very encouraging to the Afghans and the Emir of Afghanistan Dost Muhammad Khan who immediately rushed his army under his son to drive the Sikhs out of Peshawar, altho the battle was won by the afghan army and Harri singh was killed by the yousafzai tribes men [Chief and families of Note in Punjab, Vol II, op.cit., pp. 87,89,90]

The Battle

Sardar Hari Singh Nalua had earlier build a fort on the entrance of Khyber pass called fort of Jamrud, this fort was being commanded by Sardar Mahan Singh Mirpura. For want of timely help the Sardar was of course killed, but the Afghans could not dislodge the Sikh troops from the fort of Jamrud.

Fallout

The Afghan victory was pyrrhic, but important as it marked the end of Sikh Empire of their plans to invade Afghanistan and marked the westernmost limit of Sikh influence. The loss of Hari Singh Nalwa proved a major blow to the Sikh Army and the subsequent passing away of Ranjit Singh plunged the Kingdom into dynastic conflict.

References

*Olaf Caroe, "The Pathans"
* [http://www.sikh-history.com/sikhhist/warriors/nalua.html|Sardar Hari Singh Nalua]

See also

*Pakhtunistan
* Afridi