Thread by @AssertiveI

#Battle of Kikan. The courageous #Jats & #Meds
The 3rd #Caliph was Usman ibn Affan (644–656 A.D.). Usman wanted to conquer #Sindh. He appointed Abdullah to Iraq & commanded him to send an agent to gather info about Hind & Sindh. 1/13

Abdullah deputed Hakim to acquire the desired info. Hakim reported that, “Its water is dark; its fruit is bitter and poisonous; its land is stony and its earth is selfish. A small army will soon be annihilated there and a large army will soon die of hunger.” 2/13

The 1st invasion of Sindh by land was carried out in 660 A.D. This expedition included many nobles & chiefs, & which was led by Haras, proceeded towards the mountainous region of Kikan or Kikanan unhindered. 3/13

The state of Kikan was located in the mountainous region in the northern part of present day Balochistan near the Bolan Pass & is mentioned by Hieun Tsang as a region of pastoral people and great mountains and valleys. 4/13

As the Arab army proceeded, they managed to overpower some of the towns on their way to Kikan, securing “many slaves and a large booty, until they arrived at the mountain Kikanan. Here the natives stood up to fight with them.”
5/13

The brave #Jats & #Meds of Kikan put up a tough fight against the #Arabian invaders & decisively repulsed the attack. The invading Arab army incurred severe losses and “he (Haras) & those who were with him, saving a few, were slain in the land of Kikan in the year (662 A.D.) 6/13

The four Rashidun #Caliphs thus died with their dream of #victory over #Hind and #Sindh remaining unfulfilled.
#Caliph Muawiyah sent 6 determined expeditions to conquer the frontier post of Kikan in #Sindh over a period of 20 yrs. 7/13

None of the #expeditions, except the last succeeded and the #Arabs failed to make any lasting impact in the region. During all the 6 raids, there was great slaughter as the locals #Jats and #Meds fought fiercely to defend their land & repulsed the #Arab armies. 8/13

Caliph Muawiyah despatched Abdullah ibn Sawad to conquer the Kingdom of #Sindh, appointing him as the governor and chief administrator of Sindh. 9/13

Muawiyah said to Abdullah, “In the country of #Sind, there is a mountain, which is called Kikanan. There are big and beautiful #horses to be found there… The people are very cunning, and, under the shelter of that mountain, have become refractory and rebellious.” 10/13

Abdullah proceeded to attack Kikan with a large contingent of 4000 #Arab warriors. When they arrived in #Kikan, Abdullah and his army were assaulted by the brave #Jat and #Med soldiers of the provincial chief & fierce battle took place between the two armies. 11/13

The local people of Kikan also came out in large numbers to fight the marauders. They occupied the mountain passes & the battle raged furiously. 12/13

Abdullah’s troops were defeated by the valiant and fearless army of Kikan & eventually the army of Islamic Arabs was made to flee to Makran as, “the whole mountainous region became alive with fighting men and the Mussulmans beat a hasty retreat.” 13/13