What Was Operation Khukri, India's UN Mission In West Africa? Who's Making A Movie On It Now?

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Last Updated:May 23, 2025, 17:25 IST

Operation Khukri, a 2000 rescue ngo by Indian soldiers successful Sierra Leone (West Africa) is being made into a movie by Bollywood histrion Randeep Hooda

Operation Khukri was a 2000 UN rescue ngo successful Sierra Leone, West Africa, led by Major Rajpal Poonia.

25 years ago, heavy successful the chaos of war-torn Sierra Leone, a state successful West Africa, Indian soldiers etched a section of courage, sacrifice, and strategical brilliance into the annals of United Nations peacekeeping history. That covert mission, known arsenic Operation Khukri, is acceptable to deed the metallic surface arsenic a movie with Bollywood histrion Randeep Hooda astatine the helm arsenic some manager and pb actor.

In the twelvemonth 2000, Sierra Leone, 1 of the world’s poorest countries, was gripped by civilian war. The Revolutionary United Front (RUF), a rebel radical notorious for its scorched-earth tactics and usage of kid soldiers, had plunged the West African federation into astir a decennary of conflict. Amid planetary efforts to reconstruct order, the United Nations deployed a peacekeeping force, which included a beardown Indian contingent.

But bid was elusive. In a shocking crook of events, the RUF took hostage 222 soldiers and 11 subject observers from assorted nations, confining them nether appalling conditions for a staggering 233 days. The captives, deprived adjacent of 2 due meals a day, became pawns successful a deadly standoff that exposed the fragility of UN peacekeeping efforts.

Among the trapped was a institution of Indian soldiers stationed successful Kailahun, commanded by Major Rajpal Poonia. Lured distant connected the pretext of negotiations, Major Poonia was separated from his troops, who were soon surrounded and ordered to surrender. The Gorkha Regiments nether his command, known for their unmatched grit, refused to laic down their arms. As unit mounted, the concern veered toward a full-blown hostage crisis.

When diplomacy failed, the Indian Army launched a bold subject operation. The mission, codenamed Operation Khukri, would beryllium remembered arsenic 1 of the astir audacious rescue efforts successful peacekeeping history.

At the time, the United Nations was reluctant to endorse a subject response. Secretary-General Kofi Annan, himself a West African, was cautious, fearing governmental backlash. But backmost successful India, nationalist outrage was growing. The destiny of the soldiers could nary longer bent successful diplomatic limbo.

A highly-trained commando platoon of 120 Indian troops was deployed. British Chinook helicopters provided logistical support, mounting the signifier for a multi-pronged assault. On the greeting of July 15, 2000, explosives shattered the walls of the besieged garrison. Simultaneously, Gorkha soldiers wrong launched a counterattack, overpowering the RUF fighters and securing a breach.

The flight was perilous. Torrential rains had turned the terrain into a quagmire. Trucks bogged down successful mud, soldiers forced to propulsion vehicles nether fire, rebels giving chase. The ngo was to extract not conscionable the trapped troops but besides 11 UN observers and respective sick personnel. Chinooks carried retired the astir vulnerable, portion others fought their mode done 12 kilometres of hostile territory to Gehun, wherever they linked up with caller reinforcements from the 18 Grenadiers.

The last limb took them to Pendembu, a rebel-held town, which the Gorkhas captured aft a firefight. The cognition was a resounding success: 34 rebels killed, 150 wounded, and lone 7 Indian soldiers injured. Not a azygous peacekeeper was lost.

To honour this singular feat, Sierra Leone aboriginal built the ‘Khukri War Memorial’ connected the banks of the Moa River, a uncommon tribute by a overseas federation to Indian subject heroism.

Major Rajpal Poonia, who yet roseate to the fertile of Major General, documented the ngo successful his publication Operation Khukri: The True Story Behind the Indian Army’s Most Successful Mission arsenic Part of the United Nations. The publication serves not conscionable arsenic a chronicle of subject strategy but besides of quality endurance.

Now, that communicative is making its mode to the large screen.

Randeep Hooda, known for his aggravated roles and immersive storytelling, has acquired the rights to Poonia’s publication and volition some nonstop and prima successful the upcoming movie adaptation. “The communicative of Operation Khukri moved maine deeply," Hooda said successful a statement, adding that it is simply a communicative of sacrifice, brotherhood, and holding connected to courageousness successful the darkest moments.

Slated to beryllium a high-octane warfare play infused with patriotic fervour, the movie aims to bring planetary attraction to a forgotten saga of valour acold from Indian shores.

Operation Khukri stands arsenic a uncommon illustration of an planetary peacekeeping occurrence nether dire circumstances. It was a testament to India’s subject ethos, summarised by erstwhile Army Chief General JJ Singh who said that Indian Army soldiers chose “death implicit cowardice, honour implicit 2 meals a day, and dignity implicit freedom".

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