Facing a shortage of troops and unable to divert any substantial forces from the Punjab and Kashmir sectors (where the main Indian thrust has come), the commander of the
Pakistan Rangers, Brigadier Khuda Dad Khan, turned to local help. Hurs volunteered in droves. Given only basic training and light weapons, the Hurs nevertheless gave a fine account of themselves in the conflict. Fighting alongside Rangers and regular army units (known collectively as the
Desert Force), the Hurs used their knowledge of the desert to good effect and helped to blunt the Indian offensive. But perhaps their most famous (and militarily important) action was the capture of the Indian fort of
Kishangarh, a feature located several kilometers inside India.