Balakot is very important for Jaish-e-Mohammed chief Maulana Masood Azar,

 and has a very interesting history, connecting the Taliban, the fanatical Wahabi Sunni Islamic ideology, Rae-bareli in Uttar Pradesh, & valiant Sikh warriors. This is where today’s #SurgicalStrike2 was carried out by the #IndianAirForce.

Syed Ahmed Barelvi, a deeply religious man, was born in Rae-bareli in 1786. He was an ardent admirer of the Mughal ruler Aurangzeb, & was perturbed by decline of the Mughals & rise of the infidel rulers - Marathas & Sikhs in India.

Syed Barelvi wanted to establish an Islamic caliphate in the Indian sub-continent, & hence decided to wage a Jihad against the then rulers of our land who weren’t followers of Islam. He is one of India’s earliest home grown terrorists.

With total faith in his mission, he moved to #Balakot, to wage jihad against Maharaja Ranjith Singh, who ruled what is the NWFP in Pakistan today. This is 1st recorded jihad inspired by the fanatical Sunni-Wahabi Islamic ideology.

Syed Barelvi thought that the Muslims in that region, aided by citizens of a Muslim nation in the neighbourhood (Afghanistan) will support in his mission of establishing an Islamic state & fighting against a Sikh ruler.

 

Syed Barelvi reached #Balakot in 1831, he was 46. He formed an army of Mujahideen forces, hoped to defeat Maharaja Ranjit Singh, & decided to move into Kashmir. The Sikhs came to know of it & started marching towards Barelvi’s men in #Balakot.

Syed Barelvi had laid a trap at #Balakot for the Sikh soldiers, when they prepared marshy paddy fields in which the Sikh forces would get stuck. However the commander of Sikh forces, Sher Singh, was shrewd and waited for Barelvi's men to move first & fall into his own trap.

When one of Barelvi’s men moved forward & got stuck in the marshy field, his troops followed & were completely ensnared in the slush. The Sikhs then zeroed in on them, & killed about 1300 mujahideen’s in the day long battle.

Along with Syed Barelvi, the battle at #Balakot also saw the death of Shah Ismail Saeed, who comes from a family that was influenced by Sheikh Sirhindi – the religious fanatic who killed the 5th Sikh Guru Arjun Dev.

Maulana Mazood Azar considers Syed Barelvi as his hero & feels an emotional connection with #Balakot – place where the 1st jihad inspired by the Wahabi Sunni ideology was fought.