Army Institute of Military History

Ladha Hall

Ladha is located on the border of North and South Waziristan. A fort was constructed here by the British in 1938 to regulate and maintain lines of communication. The defence of Ladha Fort is a leading highlight of OPERATION ALMIZAN. Major Abdul Karim (now colonel retired, Sitara e Basalat), then commanding 1 Wing Dir Scouts consisting 245 all ranks, defended the isolated fort against 18 attacks by the Taliban. He inflicted 937 casualties on the miscreants, even sallying out once to kill 31 and apprehending 20 unsuspecting Taliban. They repeatedly attacked the fort, having made it a point of prestige, but to no avail. Finally, the FC returned some apprehended Taliban on 16 February 2007 through a jirga after a successful defence for 57 days. This tale of grit, endurance, courage and high motivation is a case study in military schools today.

ladha-hall-2

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