Battle of Jandiala
# Battle of Jandiala

The Battle of Jandiala took place in December 1764 between the Durrani Empire and the Sikhs Misls during Ahmad Shah Abdali's seventh campaign into India. Ahmad Shah Abdali and his army marched towards Jandiala and as soon as they reached near the town, the Sikhs opposed them and a battle took place where the Afghans were defeated and the Afghan commander Rahim Khan Bakhshi was killed.

## Background

Ahmad Shah Abdali marched his seventh campaign into India after hearing reports about the Sikh conquests with 18,000 Afghans and adding another 12,000 soldiers under the chief of Qalat, Nasir Khan Baluch. When the united army marched from Eminabad to Lahore, the team of Durrani scouts were attacked near Lahore by the Sikhs, commanded by Charat Singh, and as Ahmad Shah Abdali was informed about the attack, he immediately had Nasir Khan march to assist the scout party. A long furious battle took place till nightfall where Nasir Khan's horse was shot down, causing panic among his soldiers, and Nur Muhammad barely making an escape. The battle ended with the retirement of both parties. Ahmad Shah Abdali then marched towards Amritsar and did not find any Sikh army except for 30 Sikhs in the Ramgarh fort, who came out of the fort and fearlessly attacked Durrani army, without any regard of the consequence, and willing to die for the cause of their religion. The thirty Sikhs engaged in a close fight against the Durrani soldiers and laid down their lives in the Battle of Darbar Sahib (1764). Ahmad Shah Abdali returned back to Lahore and then marched towards Sirhind and decided to pass through the Upper Bari and the Jalandhar Doaba as this was the area where not only the Sikhs lived but also contained fertile crops for the Afghan soldiers to supply themselves with. Along the way, the Afghans destroyed the homes and crops of the Sikhs and as soon as they draw closer to the town Jandiala, they were opposed by the Sikhs where a battle ensued. All this time, the Sikhs were lingering in a distance behind the Afghans utilizing guerilla tactics.

## Battle

As Abdali and his forces got nearer to the town of Jandiala, the Sikhs opposed them and a battle took place resulting in the defeat of Afghans. Afghan commander Rahim Khan Bakhshi was killed in the battle.

## Aftermath

After the defeat, Ahmad Shah Durrani marched towards Batala, reaching the town in 15 days of his travel from Lahore where he suffered another setback after the defeat in the Battle of Batala.

