Facts On File News Services http://www.2facts.com/PrintPage.aspx?PIN=1971108670 Issue Date: December 01, 1971 Indian-Pakistani Conflict: India Intensifies Operations; Other Developments Pakistan Calls Up Reserves The major fighting that had erupted in East Pakistan November 21 intensified as India acknowledged that its troops had crossed the border in self-defense on at least three occasions. The threat of heavier battles loomed as India announced November 28 that its forces would follow a policy of hot pursuit. [See 1971 Indian Troops Reported Fighting in East Pakistan at Side of Bengali Rebels...Full Scale Invasion Doubted] The heaviest battle between Indian and Pakistani troops broke out in the northwestern section of the province at the strategic town of Hilli November 27 and continued through November 30. In fighting to the south, Indian and Bengali rebels were said to have seized small pieces of territories near Jessore, Comilla, Sylhet and west of Chittagong. Pakistan claimed November 30 that 2,000 Indians had been killed and 4,000 wounded in a week of fighting. Pakistan placed its casualties in the same period at 30 killed and 100 wounded. In the battle for Hilli, New Delhi officials said November 28 that Indian forces had pushed into East Pakistan the previous day after Pakistani artillery had fired on the nearby Indian border town of Balurghat. At least 20 civilians were killed in four days of shelling. The Indian incursion force was believed to total 2,900 men and 45 tanks. Five Pakistani tanks were reported by the Indians to have been destroyed. Hilli was astride a railway whose capture would cut off the Pakistani supply route from Jessore to the south. A military spokesman in Rawalpindi November 30 acknowledged that Pakistani forces had abandoned to attacking Indian soldiers the border village of Pachhagarh near the extreme northwest corner of the province. India's new policy of pursuit was announced by Defense Minister Jagjivan Ram November 28. He said the Indian troops had been given permission to move as deep into Pakistan as the range of Pakistani guns shelling them--15-20 miles. A Defense Ministry spokesman explained November 29 that Indian troops would cross the border "whenever the life or property of our citizens are in danger or the integrity of our borders is threatened." He said the troops would remain in East Pakistan until the threat had been removed. India's first acknowledgment that its forces had entered East Pakistan was made by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in Parliament November 24. She said Indian troops had carried out the thrust November 21 to repulse a Pakistani attack in the vicinity of Boyra, an Indian border village. Mrs. Gandhi denied Pakistani charges that Indians were "engaged in an undeclared war and have mounted massive attacks with tanks and troops." The second Indian "defensive action" inside East Pakistan was reported by New Delhi officials November 26. They said the thrust followed heavy Pakistani attacks on the Indian village of Balurghat November 24. The Indians said 80 Pakistani soldiers had been killed in fighting in the area November 25. An Indian military spokesman reported November 26 that many Pakistani army units had been withdrawn from the interior of East Pakistan to confront the Indian forces on the border. As a result, he said, the Bengali rebels had steadily widened their control of the interior of the province. Pakistan Calls Up Reserves The seriousness of the fighting was indicated by a Pakistan announcement November 25 that it was calling up the military reserves. In another action, the government advised West Pakistanis to dig trenches to cope with a possible Indian attack in that region. Also in West Pakistan, naval authorities warned shipping to remain at least 75 miles from the port of Karachi during the hours of darkness. Pakistan had charged that Indian ships had attacked freighters supplying East Pakistan, sinking one grain ship. This was Pakistan's version of the fighting with India: An Indian attack inside East Pakistan November 23 was repulsed and government forces recaptured a border outpost at Chanderpur, captured by the Indians in Sylhet District, a military spokesman reported November 25. Two fresh Indian attacks in the northern part of the province were repulsed with a loss of 100 Indian lives, Pakistani radio reported November 25. Pakistani casualties were listed as seven killed. The radio reported earlier that 200 Indians had been slain in a clash at Sylhet. An Indian drive into East Pakistan November 25 was aimed at isolating Pakistani forces near the Indian border town of Belonia, the Pakistani military command reported November 26. The command said the attack was part of "continuing pressure" by Indian soldiers at nine scattered points along the frontier. The command acknowledged New Delhi claims that Indian forces held territory near Jessore, Sylhet, Comilla and Chittagong. The command said the Indians had lost 200-300 men killed in the fighting in the Jessore area. 1 of 2 3/31/2011 14:45 Facts On File News Services http://www.2facts.com/PrintPage.aspx?PIN=1971108670 General A. A. K. Niazi, military commander of East Pakistan, said November 26 that he considered that war had begun between India and Pakistan. © 2011 Facts On File News Services Modern Language Association (MLA) Citation: "Indian-Pakistani Conflict: India Intensifies Operations; Other Developments." Facts On File World News Digest: n. pag. World News Digest. Facts On File News Services, 1 Dec. 1971. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. <http://www.2facts.com/article/1971108670>. For further information see Citing Sources in MLA Style. Facts On File News Services' automatically generated MLA citations have been updated according to the MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers, 7th edition. American Psychological Association (APA) Citation format: The title of the article. (Year, Month Day). Facts On File World News Digest. Retrieved Month Day, Year, from World News Digest database. See the American Psychological Association (APA) Style Citations for more information on citing in APA style. 2 of 2 3/31/2011 14:45.