Pak Army Suffers Heavy Casualties In Comilla
By Our Special Representative, Reports arriving in Calcutta from the Comilla sector of Bangladesh indicate a considerably more intensive offensive by the Mukti Bahini, which includes commando attacks and guerrilla operations, against the Pakistan Army during the whole of last week, leading to the latter’s withdrawal from the Mandabagh bazar and Nayanpur (near Shaldanadi) areas leaving behind heavy casualties.
A Mukti Bahini spokesman said that the offensive in all sectors would continue to mount and both commandos and guerrillas would give the Pakistani Army no respite. Army’s main support, which came from Razzakars and newly raised militia apart from the regular soldiers, had started disintegrating.
In the North Comilla sector, along the Gumati river, the Pakistani Army lost 38 soldiers while in the south its loss was 31 early last week. The Mukti Bahini attacks were spread over large areas, covering Koteshwar, Narua and Panchura in North Comilla. Severe fighting took place when the Mukti Bahini attacked a Pakistani defense build-up along the Harisardar-Amangonda road. The Pakistani casualties were believed to have been 13 dead and eight wounded. The Mukti Bahini casualties were one killed and two injured. The liberation army also inflicted casualties on the Pakistani Army in surprise attacks at Baluguri and Rajapur.
Our Special Representative in Shillong says : The biggest success of the Mukti Fouj in the riverine war in the Sylhet and Mymensingh sector is the capture of a 35 ton launch with merchandise worth Rs. 60,000 at a place called Suchna and a speedboat of the Pakistan Army at Amirganj, almost on the border of Sylhet district towards Dacca. If the Mukti Fouj successes as evidenced between August 1 and 16 were to continue, experts believe that they will begin to have a serious impact on the command structure of the Pakistanis in the two districts.
Authentic reports say that the Mukti Bahini’s writ runs in an area of 1,600 square miles in the two districts put together.
The total Pakistani casualties in the area since August 1 is 184 and of these, at least 50% are Pakistani regulars, including a Lt. Colonel Marauding guerrilla bands are said to be probing deeper, borne out by a confirmed report that the scheduled celebrations in Sylhet town on August 14 Pakistan independence day had to be canceled for fear of guerrilla creating disturbances.
Reference: Hindustan Standard, 18.08.1971