Wikipedia - User contributions [en]

Wikipedia:Requests for undeletion

2022-11-09T16:41:34Z

VoiceOfPeace6: /* Voice Of Peace Afghanistan */ new section

{{Short description|Wikimedia project page}}
{{Wikipedia:Requests for undeletion/header}}
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[[Category:Non-talk pages that are automatically signed]]
[[Category:Wikipedia requests]]
[[Category:Wikipedia deletion]]

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== File:Ganglion-cyst.jpg ==

*{{revisions|File:Ganglion-cyst.jpg}}
Bit of a weird one. The [[:commons:File:Ganglion-cyst.jpg|Commons file]] lists the enwiki page as the source/description of the file, which obviously is not particularly helpful. I do not think this needs to be undeleted entirely, and I think emailing the contents of the page would also be a waste of time. Therefore, would you be able to post whatever was in the file description page here? Please let me know if this is not the right place for this type of request! —[[User:HouseBlaster|House]][[Special:Contributions/HouseBlaster|Blaster]][[User talk:HouseBlaster|talk]] 00:07, 1 November 2022 (UTC)
:The file creator {{u|Esturcke}} only added {{tl|GFDL-self}}, and nothing else. An IP 70.181.63.216 seemed to question this by typing {{tqq|?eww}} below the licence. And that was reverted by {{u|RaCha'ar}}. There is nothing else. No description.[[User:Jay| Jay]][[User talk:Jay| 💬]] 15:50, 1 November 2022 (UTC)
:: Looks like this was a comment on the image itself, not the license.--[[User:Auric|'''Auric''']] [[User talk:Auric|''talk'']] 22:00, 6 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Dilar Dirik ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Dilar Dirik}}
I believe this person is of significant importance to merit a Wikipedia Page, and wanted to write one about them. I discovered a page had already been written and deleted —[[User:Petsquirrel|Petsquirrel]] ([[User talk:Petsquirrel|talk]]) 16:01, 1 November 2022 (UTC)
:*[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a draft that was deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. However, the [[Wikipedia:Drafts|draft namespace]], though it is intended to provide some breathing room to create and develop a page without the time pressure of immediate review, is not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the [[WP:MAINSPACE|article mainspace]]. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion and then submit it for review—at the least, prior to another six months elapsing. When you are ready, a review can be requested by placing this code at the top of the page and then saving: {{tlsc|submit}}. {{yo|Petsquirrel }} May not be as useful as you desire though. [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 20:11, 1 November 2022 (UTC)
:*:ah yes, alas. thanks graeme! [[User:Petsquirrel|Petsquirrel]] ([[User talk:Petsquirrel|talk]]) 10:39, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Nala Robotics ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Nala Robotics}}

Hi, I'm VestigeAI, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:VestigeAI|VestigeAI]] ([[User talk:VestigeAI|talk]]) 03:27, 3 November 2022 (UTC)
:If you are referring to the version of the draft you created, it was deleted under [[WP:G12]] (copyright infringement) and will not be undeleted.[[User:Jay| Jay]][[User talk:Jay| 💬]] 03:30, 3 November 2022 (UTC)
::{{u|VestigeAI}} I removed your duplicate request. Copyright violations cannot be restored. If you are associated with Nala Robotics, please read [[WP:COI]] and [[WP:PAID]]. [[User:331dot|331dot]] ([[User talk:331dot|talk]]) 09:35, 3 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:X mark.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Not done''' - this page was deleted in accordance with the [[Wikipedia:criteria for speedy deletion|criteria for speedy deletion]]. If you believe that this decision was made in error, or that significant new information has come to light since the deletion, please contact the [[WP:administrator|administrator]] who carried out the deletion, {{user1|Whpq}}. If you have already done so, your concerns can be taken to [[Wikipedia:Deletion review|deletion review]]. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 10:42, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

== Interstellarity ==

*{{revisions|Interstellarity}}
Before this page was deleted, I frequently used this redirect to go to my user page. I request that this page be restored so that it makes easy to go to my user page. —[[User:Interstellarity|Interstellarity]] ([[User talk:Interstellarity|talk]]) 11:55, 3 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:X mark.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Not done''' - this page was deleted in accordance with the [[Wikipedia:criteria for speedy deletion|criteria for speedy deletion]]. If you believe that this decision was made in error, or that significant new information has come to light since the deletion, please contact the [[WP:administrator|administrator]] who carried out the deletion, {{user1|Fastily}}. If you have already done so, your concerns can be taken to [[Wikipedia:Deletion review|deletion review]]. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 11:56, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

== Misti Dawn ==

*{{revisions|Misti Dawn}}
Return to public life and numerous current projects in film and video games, which means there will be/has been an uptick in searches, so having an update, official Wiki would be useful all around —[[User:Adamcolter|Adamcolter]] ([[User talk:Adamcolter|talk]]) 11:57, 3 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:X mark.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Not done''' – this Requests for Undeletion process is only for articles that were deleted uncontroversially, and does not apply to articles deleted after a [[Wikipedia:Deletion discussions|deletion discussion]]. Since the article you are here about was deleted after a discussion took place at [[Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Misti Dawn (2nd nomination)]], it cannot be undeleted through this process. However, if you believe that the outcome of the discussion did not reflect the consensus of the participants, or that significant new information has come to light since the article was deleted, you may contact the [[WP:administrator|administrator]] who closed the discussion, {{user1|Vanamonde93}}. After you do so, if your concerns are not addressed and you still seek undeletion, a request may be made at [[Wikipedia:Deletion review|deletion review]]. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 11:59, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

==Draft:Davion_Franklin==

*{{revisions|Draft:Davion_Franklin}}
Hi, I'm AcousticT, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you! [[User:AcousticT|AcousticT]] ([[User talk:AcousticT|talk]]) 12:26, 3 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] (AfC) submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please note that you never submitted the entry for review. When you are ready, you need to click on the button in the AfC submission template that says {{button|Submit the draft for review!}}.

:{{ping|AcousticT}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 14:09, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:The Russians are Coming ==

*{{revisions|Draft:The Russians are Coming}}

Hi, I'm Thewerepyreking, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. I would like to edit the page in order to make it from a draft to an article. Thank you. [[User:Thewerepyreking|TheWerepyreKing]] ([[User talk:Thewerepyreking|talk]]) 15:00, 3 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] (AfC) submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please note that you never submitted the entry for review. When you are ready, you need to click on the button in the AfC submission template that says {{button|Submit the draft for review!}}.

:{{ping|Thewerepyreking}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 15:44, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Harsh Anand ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Harsh Anand}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/103.159.66.85|103.159.66.85]] ([[User talk:103.159.66.85|talk]]) 17:57, 3 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 19:18, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:L Somi Roy ==

*{{revisions|Draft:L Somi Roy}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/117.209.65.9|117.209.65.9]] ([[User talk:117.209.65.9|talk]]) 18:28, 3 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a draft that was deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. However, the [[Wikipedia:Drafts|draft namespace]], though it is intended to provide some breathing room to create and develop a page without the time pressure of immediate review, is not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the [[WP:MAINSPACE|article mainspace]]. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion and then submit it for review—at the least, prior to another six months elapsing. When you are ready, a review can be requested by placing this code at the top of the page and then saving: {{tlsc|submit}}. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 19:20, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Epicenter (podcast) ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Epicenter (podcast)}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/92.184.104.9|92.184.104.9]] ([[User talk:92.184.104.9|talk]]) 20:11, 3 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 20:51, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:13 East ==

*{{revisions|Draft:13 East}}

Hi, I'm Heartfox, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Heartfox|Heartfox]] ([[User talk:Heartfox|talk]]) 20:33, 3 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a [[WP:Drafts|draft]] or [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. They are not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion, prior to another six months elapsing.

:{{ping|Heartfox}} I'm adding a template to the top that you can use when you are ready to submit the draft for review. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 20:55, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

== Jah Sun ==

*{{revisions|Jah Sun}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/2800:A4:28B6:AF00:F46F:138:FD54:212|2800:A4:28B6:AF00:F46F:138:FD54:212]] ([[User talk:2800:A4:28B6:AF00:F46F:138:FD54:212|talk]]) 22:43, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Draftified''' – the page has been restored to the [[ WP:DRAFTIFY|draft space]] at [[Draft:Jah Sun]]. This article was not deleted under G13. It was a two lines of text, and not ready for mainspace. The one editor made one edit, then blanked the article. It was deleted under [[WP:CSD#G7]]. However, I'm willing to bring it back as a draft. I'll place a {{tl|draft article}} tag at the top. When you are done updating it, that tag has a submission button you can hit. - [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 23:15, 3 November 2022 (UTC)

== Key date ==

*{{revisions|Page name goes here}}
Enter your reasoning here and then click the "Publish changes" button below —[[User:Patriot62371|Patriot62371]] ([[User talk:Patriot62371|talk]]) 00:58, 4 November 2022 (UTC)
:{{done}} - as a contested soft deletion, [[Key date]] has been restored upon request.[[User:Jay| Jay]][[User talk:Jay| 💬]] 06:47, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Adaptive Noise Cancelling ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Adaptive Noise Cancelling}}

Hi, I'm Kaunitzj, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. I have been busy lately but I intend to get this ready for publishing ASAP. [[User:Kaunitzj|John Kaunitz]] ([[User talk:Kaunitzj|talk]]) 02:20, 4 November 2022 (UTC)
* {{re|Kaunitzj}} {{done}}. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 03:01, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:KLARA ==

*{{revisions|Draft:KLARA}}

Hi, I'm Davechasedave, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Davechasedave|Davechasedave]] ([[User talk:Davechasedave|talk]]) 11:13, 4 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a draft that was deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. However, the [[Wikipedia:Drafts|draft namespace]], though it is intended to provide some breathing room to create and develop a page without the time pressure of immediate review, is not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the [[WP:MAINSPACE|article mainspace]]. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion and then submit it for review—at the least, prior to another six months elapsing. When you are ready, a review can be requested by placing this code at the top of the page and then saving: {{tlsc|submit}}.

:{{ping|Davechasedave}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 11:51, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Nom Nom Galaxy ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Nom Nom Galaxy}}

Hello again! I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Thank you. [[User:Ludoyo|Ludoyo]] ([[User talk:Ludoyo|talk]]) 11:55, 4 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:X mark.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Not done''' {{ping|Ludoyo}} That draft was empty other than the AfC template and a Reference header. Go ahead and start working. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 12:07, 4 November 2022 (UTC)
::I see. Thank you for checking, though! [[User:Ludoyo|Ludoyo]] ([[User talk:Ludoyo|talk]]) 12:24, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Ronald Mahler ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Ronald Mahler}}

Hi, I'm Iwantmilk, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Iwantmilk|Iwantmilk]] ([[User talk:Iwantmilk|talk]]) 14:00, 4 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] (AfC) submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please note that you never submitted the entry for review. When you are ready, you need to click on the button in the AfC submission template that says {{button|Submit the draft for review!}}.

:{{ping|Iwantmilk}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 14:41, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Dome Fire (2020) ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Dome Fire (2020)}}

Hi, I'm Thriley, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Thriley|Thriley]] ([[User talk:Thriley|talk]]) 16:20, 4 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a [[WP:Drafts|draft]] or [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. They are not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion, prior to another six months elapsing. [[User:Waltpohl|Walt Pohl]] ([[User talk:Waltpohl|talk]]) 17:54, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Cheaper Than Therapy (comedy show) ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Cheaper Than Therapy (comedy show)}}

Hi, I'm Cluelessblues, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Cluelessblues|Cluelessblues]] ([[User talk:Cluelessblues|talk]]) 17:42, 4 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. [[User:Waltpohl|Walt Pohl]] ([[User talk:Waltpohl|talk]]) 17:56, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Birda (application) ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Birda (application)}}

Hi, I'm Jwpwhite, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Jwpwhite|Jwpwhite]] ([[User talk:Jwpwhite|talk]]) 17:43, 4 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. [[User:Waltpohl|Walt Pohl]] ([[User talk:Waltpohl|talk]]) 17:57, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Gotham Bagels ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Gotham Bagels}}

Hi, I'm SarahCuts, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:SarahCuts|SarahCuts]] ([[User talk:SarahCuts|talk]]) 18:23, 4 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia.

:{{ping|SarahCuts}} Yum! - [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 18:31, 4 November 2022 (UTC)

== Kenn Navarro ==

*{{revisions|Kenn Navarro}}
I think he has enough notability for the article to be kept, especially since the other two co-creators of Happy Tree Friends still have their WP articles on, and they're at similar tier of notability. However, I admit that those two have been tagged with BLP:source so I also understand if instead of restoring this, the other two will be deleted instead. —[[User:Felixnyancat|Felixnyancat]] ([[User talk:Felixnyancat|talk]]) 01:17, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px]] '''Done''' – as a contested [[Wikipedia:proposed deletion|proposed deletion]], the article has been restored upon request.

:{{ping|Felixnyancat}} Looks like the article could use some work to get it to the point where it won't get deleted by AfD. So I'm going to restore it, but move it to [[Draft:Kenn Navarro]]. And as you point out, the other articles need some work as well. One tool I've used to get editors into high gear is to push an article or three to AfD. May not be the best method to endear myself to editors that want those articles kept, but it is way more effective than the tags place on top of an article decrying the lack of adequate sourcing. Anyway, I'm rambling. Fix up Kenn and try to also work on the other two at the same time, eh? [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 02:22, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Y? Why Not! Show ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Y? Why Not! Show}}

Hi, I'm Tonyhwy, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Tonyhwy|Tonyhwy]] ([[User talk:Tonyhwy|talk]]) 02:31, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] (AfC) submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please note that you never submitted the entry for review. When you are ready, you need to click on the button in the AfC submission template that says {{button|Submit the draft for review!}}.

:{{ping|Tonyhwy}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 02:33, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:InStride ==

*{{revisions|Draft:InStride}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/2603:8000:3343:9800:809:F9DE:9DC3:564B|2603:8000:3343:9800:809:F9DE:9DC3:564B]] ([[User talk:2603:8000:3343:9800:809:F9DE:9DC3:564B|talk]]) 03:48, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 11:17, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ ==

*{{revisions|Draft:DJ Sabrina the Teenage DJ}}

Hi, I'm Moon motif, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Moon motif|Moon motif]] ([[User talk:Moon motif|talk]]) 04:54, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a draft that was deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. However, the [[Wikipedia:Drafts|draft namespace]], though it is intended to provide some breathing room to create and develop a page without the time pressure of immediate review, is not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the [[WP:MAINSPACE|article mainspace]]. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion and then submit it for review—at the least, prior to another six months elapsing. When you are ready, a review can be requested by placing this code at the top of the page and then saving: {{tlsc|submit}}.

:{{ping|Moon motif}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 11:18, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Andrew Huang ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Andrew Huang}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/150.117.25.164|150.117.25.164]] ([[User talk:150.117.25.164|talk]]) 11:41, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
* {{done}}. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 12:37, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Manu Luksch ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Manu Luksch}}

Hi, I'm Borosouro, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Borosouro|Borosouro]] ([[User talk:Borosouro|talk]]) 11:58, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
* {{re|Borosouro}} {{done}}. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 12:38, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
*:Thank you! [[User:Borosouro|Borosouro]] ([[User talk:Borosouro|talk]]) 15:20, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Valley Gardens, Pontefract ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Valley Gardens, Pontefract}}

Hi, I'm Mtaylor848, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Mtaylor848|Mtaylor848]] ([[User talk:Mtaylor848|talk]]) 12:26, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
* {{re|Mtaylor848}} {{done}}. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 12:38, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Yugal Mishra ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Yugal Mishra}}

Hi, I'm Prmshra, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Prmshra|Prmshra]] ([[User talk:Prmshra|talk]]) 14:01, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] (AfC) submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please note that you never submitted the entry for review. When you are ready, you need to click on the button in the AfC submission template that says {{button|Submit the draft for review!}}.

:{{ping|Prmshra}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 14:18, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Black Warrant (film) ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Black Warrant (film)}}
According to this [https://collider.com/black-warrant-trailer-cam-gigandet-tom-berenger/ link] from [[Collider (website)|Collider]], the film will be released on December 9, 2022. If undeleted, please keep it in draftspace. I will move the article to mainspace once I've added the release date information, cited by Collider. Thank you. —[[User:The Film Creator|The Film Creator]] ([[User talk:The Film Creator|talk]]) 14:31, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a draft that was deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. However, the [[Wikipedia:Drafts|draft namespace]], though it is intended to provide some breathing room to create and develop a page without the time pressure of immediate review, is not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the [[WP:MAINSPACE|article mainspace]]. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion and then submit it for review—at the least, prior to another six months elapsing. When you are ready, a review can be requested by placing this code at the top of the page and then saving: {{tlsc|submit}}.

:{{ping|The Film Creator}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 23:33, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Centaurus High School ==

*{{revisions|Centaurus High School}}
Soft deleted at [[Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Centaurus High School]]. I have found 5 reliable, secondary, independent sources about Centaurs High School and am willing to provide text and citations. —[[User:Grand'mere Eugene|— Grand'mere Eugene]] ([[User talk:Grand'mere Eugene|talk]]) 15:32, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px]] '''Done''' – as a contested [[Wikipedia:Deletion_process#No_quorum|soft deletion]], the article has been restored upon request.

:{{ping|Grand'mere Eugene}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 23:35, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Rafael Montero (singer) ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Rafael Montero (singer)}}

Hi, I'm John sloboda, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:John sloboda|John sloboda]] ([[User talk:John sloboda|talk]]) 20:28, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia.

:{{ping|John sloboda}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 23:37, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:2019–2020 Iran–United States conflict ==

*{{revisions|Draft:2019–2020 Iran–United States conflict}}
It was not an exact copy. The draft in mention only manages a part of it —[[User:Mausebru|Mausebru the Peruvian]] ([[User talk:Mausebru|talk]], [[Special:Contributions/Mausebru|contibs]]) 22:30, 5 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:X mark.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Not done''' – this Requests for Undeletion process is only for articles that were deleted uncontroversially, and does not apply to articles deleted after a [[Wikipedia:Deletion discussions|deletion discussion]]. Since the article you are here about was deleted after a discussion took place at [[Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/2019–2021 Persian Gulf crisis]], it cannot be undeleted through this process. However, if you believe that the outcome of the discussion did not reflect the consensus of the participants, or that significant new information has come to light since the article was deleted, you may contact the [[WP:administrator|administrator]] who closed the discussion, {{user1|Diannaa}}. After you do so, if your concerns are not addressed and you still seek undeletion, a request may be made at [[Wikipedia:Deletion review|deletion review]].

:{{ping|Mausebru}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 23:40, 5 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Kepler-577b ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Kepler-577b}}

Hi, I'm Kepler-1229b, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Kepler-1229b|🪐Kepler-1229b]] | [[User talk:Kepler-1229b|talk]] | [[Special:Contributions/Kepler-1229b|contribs🪐]] 00:59, 6 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] (AfC) submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please note that you never submitted the entry for review. When you are ready, you need to click on the button in the AfC submission template that says {{button|Submit the draft for review!}}.

:{{ping|Kepler-1229b}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 01:05, 6 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:List of Autostrade of Italy ==

*{{revisions|Draft:List of Autostrade of Italy}}

Hi, I'm Azmjc02, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Azmjc02|Azmjc02]] ([[User talk:Azmjc02|talk]]) 01:04, 6 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] (AfC) submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please note that you never submitted the entry for review. When you are ready, you need to click on the button in the AfC submission template that says {{button|Submit the draft for review!}}.

:{{ping|Azmjc02}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 01:31, 6 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Shanghai Meng Bo Law Office ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Shanghai Meng Bo Law Office}}

Hi, I'm Fledico, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Fledico|Fledico]] ([[User talk:Fledico|talk]]) 06:31, 6 November 2022 (UTC)
:*[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a draft that was deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. However, the [[Wikipedia:Drafts|draft namespace]], though it is intended to provide some breathing room to create and develop a page without the time pressure of immediate review, is not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the [[WP:MAINSPACE|article mainspace]]. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion and then submit it for review—at the least, prior to another six months elapsing. When you are ready, a review can be requested by placing this code at the top of the page and then saving: {{tlsc|submit}}. [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 11:59, 6 November 2022 (UTC)

== The X Actor ==

*{{revisions|User:The X Actor}}
I want my talk page back — — Preceding [[Wikipedia:Signatures|unsigned]] comment added by [[User:The X Actor|The X Actor]] ([[User talk:The X Actor#top|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/The X Actor|contribs]]) 11:27, 6 November 2022 (UTC) 
:*Your talk page can stay. I have deleted your [[User:The X Actor]] page. Look at [[WP:Userpage]] to see what that is for. [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 12:02, 6 November 2022 (UTC)

== Sligo Junior Football Championship ==

*{{revisions|Sligo Junior Football Championship}}

This doesn't give a reason for delting this championship besides it is 'amateur' but all the sport is amateur that's how it works. All the history of this championship is gone.

IT should be possible to work on it to get it to the standard of others like at [[Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship]] and the other junior football championships that have been worked on when it is hidden people can't work on it which isn't fair. [[User:Ihearthurling|IHearthurling]] ([[User talk:Ihearthurling|talk]]) 14:14, 6 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px]] '''Done''' – as a contested [[Wikipedia:proposed deletion|proposed deletion]], the article has been restored upon request.

:{{ping|Ihearthurling}} - [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 19:04, 6 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Peachtree Heights East ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Peachtree Heights East}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/108.86.108.51|108.86.108.51]] ([[User talk:108.86.108.51|talk]]) 19:25, 6 November 2022 (UTC)
: This has been deleted as abandoned three times already. Why would this time be any different? [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 22:05, 6 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Informed Opinions ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Informed Opinions}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/23.233.87.222|23.233.87.222]] ([[User talk:23.233.87.222|talk]]) 20:03, 6 November 2022 (UTC)
* {{done}}. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 22:06, 6 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Sharon Keenan ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Sharon Keenan}}

Hi, I'm NatrualEdit1888, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it, i have recently found some information. Thank you. [[User:NatrualEdit1888|NatrualEdit1888]] ([[User talk:NatrualEdit1888|talk]]) 20:53, 6 November 2022 (UTC)
* {{re|NatrualEdit1888}} {{done}}. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 22:06, 6 November 2022 (UTC)

== Lansdowne (band) ==

*{{revisions|Lansdowne (band)}}
I read and understand that normally bands deleted via A7 are not eligible for undeletion, but it happened almost 10 years ago - before I began editing here - and I would like the leftover material (if anything meaningful) to be sent to draft space, or at the very least userfied. I hope that in this rare case, you may see it possible for an exception to be made. I would like to make an attempt in earnest to actually create something acceptable for this band. —'''[[User:DannyMusicEditor|dannymusiceditor]]''' [[User talk:DannyMusicEditor|oops]] 00:16, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:X mark.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Not done''' - this page was deleted in accordance with the [[Wikipedia:criteria for speedy deletion|criteria for speedy deletion]]. If you believe that this decision was made in error, or that significant new information has come to light since the deletion, please contact the [[WP:administrator|administrator]] who carried out the deletion, {{user1|Bbb23}}. If you have already done so, your concerns can be taken to [[Wikipedia:Deletion review|deletion review]].

:{{ping|DannyMusicEditor}} Regardless of that, this is not to forum for that decision. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 00:59, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== List of nicknames of European royalty and nobility ==

*{{revisions|List of nicknames of European royalty and nobility}}
Enter your reasoning here and then click the "Publish changes" button below —[[Special:Contributions/172.218.54.150|172.218.54.150]] ([[User talk:172.218.54.150|talk]]) 02:18, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:*[[File:X mark.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Not done''' – this Requests for Undeletion process is only for articles that were deleted uncontroversially, and does not apply to articles deleted after a [[Wikipedia:Deletion discussions|deletion discussion]]. Since the article you are here about was deleted after a discussion took place at [[Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/List of nicknames of European royalty and nobility]], it cannot be undeleted through this process. However, if you believe that the outcome of the discussion did not reflect the consensus of the participants, or that significant new information has come to light since the article was deleted, you may contact the [[WP:administrator|administrator]] who closed the discussion. After you do so, if your concerns are not addressed and you still seek undeletion, a request may be made at [[Wikipedia:Deletion review|deletion review]]. [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 10:10, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Daniel Toben ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Daniel Toben}}

Hi, I'm Danieltoben, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Danieltoben|Danieltoben]] ([[User talk:Danieltoben|talk]]) 03:22, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
: I am concerned that, based on your username, this appears to be an effort to write an article on yourself, or someone closely connected with you. If that is the case, please observe [[WP:COI]]. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 05:10, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:*[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a [[WP:Drafts|draft]] or [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. They are not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion, prior to another six months elapsing. read [[WP:Autobiography]] [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 10:12, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Wikipedia talk:Articles for creation/OGRE (Death Metal Band) ==

*{{revisions|Wikipedia talk:Articles for creation/OGRE (Death Metal Band)}}

Hi, I'm Needlenuts, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Needlenuts|Needlenuts]] ([[User talk:Needlenuts|talk]]) 04:36, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:*[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a [[WP:Drafts|draft]] or [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. They are not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion, prior to another six months elapsing. [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 10:14, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== User:Jindam vani/watchlists ==

*{{revisions|Jindam vani/watchlists}}
i would use this my subpage for other purpose —[[User:Jindam vani|jindam, vani]] ([[User talk:Jindam vani|talk]]) 09:19, 7 November 2022 (UTC) [[User:Jindam vani|jindam, vani]] ([[User talk:Jindam vani|talk]]) 09:19, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:*[[User:Jindam vani/watchlists]] never had any content. So you can just recreate it the way you wish. [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 10:17, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:X mark.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Not done''' {{ping|Jindam vani}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 11:38, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== User:Jindam vani/404 ==

*{{revisions|User:Jindam vani/404}}
for time being i will use this subpage as redirect for my userpage & think of it later —[[User:Jindam vani|jindam, vani]] ([[User talk:Jindam vani|talk]]) 09:23, 7 November 2022 (UTC) [[User:Jindam vani|jindam, vani]] ([[User talk:Jindam vani|talk]]) 09:23, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:*[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 10:19, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Factions of the Liberal Party of Australia ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Factions of the Liberal Party of Australia}}
Got the time to work on it now that uni is over for the year. Was deleted due to CSD§G13 —'''[[User:5225C|5225C]]''' ([[User_talk:5225C|talk]] • [[Special:Contributions/5225C|contributions]]) 09:31, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:*[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a draft that was deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. However, the [[Wikipedia:Drafts|draft namespace]], though it is intended to provide some breathing room to create and develop a page without the time pressure of immediate review, is not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the [[WP:MAINSPACE|article mainspace]]. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion and then submit it for review—at the least, prior to another six months elapsing. When you are ready, a review can be requested by placing this code at the top of the page and then saving: {{tlsc|submit}}. [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 10:21, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:The Night Party ==

*{{revisions|Draft:The Night Party}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/2001:44B8:4115:6B00:2DD8:97FC:10EE:905D|2001:44B8:4115:6B00:2DD8:97FC:10EE:905D]] ([[User talk:2001:44B8:4115:6B00:2DD8:97FC:10EE:905D|talk]]) 10:28, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:*[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a [[WP:Drafts|draft]] or [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. They are not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion, prior to another six months elapsing. [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 10:43, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Sorie Manga ==

*{{revisions|Sorie Manga}}
Enter your reasoning here and then click the "Publish changes" button below —[[Special:Contributions/2402:3A80:1306:A5F2:0:46:9392:9C01|2402:3A80:1306:A5F2:0:46:9392:9C01]] ([[User talk:2402:3A80:1306:A5F2:0:46:9392:9C01|talk]]) 12:35, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:X mark.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Not done''' No history at given link, nor on a draft by that name. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 13:51, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Pritom Hasan ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Pritom Hasan}}

Hi, I'm Trilokadiponglar Bhilku, and I would like to request the undeletion of this draft deleted under [[WP:CSD#G8|G8]]. Please restore the page so that I can work on it and I'm confident I'd make it suitable for mainspace. Thank you. (It was a redirect, but there was a previous version which was moved to mainspace, hence the redirect to mainspace. I'd like that version to be restored). [[User:Trilokadiponglar Bhilku|Trilokadiponglar Bhilku]] ([[User talk:Trilokadiponglar Bhilku|talk]]) 13:13, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] (AfC) submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please note that you never submitted the entry for review. When you are ready, you need to click on the button in the AfC submission template that says {{button|Submit the draft for review!}}.

:{{ping|Trilokadiponglar Bhilku}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 13:56, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Epsilon Grammar Studio ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Epsilon Grammar Studio}}

Hi, I'm Nh-expera, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Nh-expera|Nh-expera]] ([[User talk:Nh-expera|talk]]) 16:04, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia.

:{{ping|Nh-expera}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 16:23, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Farhad Khorasani ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Farhad Khorasani}}

Hi, I'm Usair2019, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Usair2019|Usair2019]] ([[User talk:Usair2019|talk]]) 17:11, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia.

:{{ping|Usair2019}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 17:14, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Fossil Fuel Cuts Database ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Fossil Fuel Cuts Database}}

Hi, I'm Domevre, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I may significantly improve it and bring it up to Wikipedia's standards. Thank you for your consideration. [[User:Domevre|Domevre]] ([[User talk:Domevre|talk]]) 18:08, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia.

:{{ping|Domevre}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 18:33, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Mayo Junior Football Championship ==

*{{revisions|Mayo Junior Football Championship}}
Enter your reasoning here and then click the "Publish changes" button below This doesn't give a reason for delting this championship. All the history of this championship is gone. Needs sources and this can be done with the related championship I requested below so everyone can work on it.

IT should be possible to work on it to get it to the standard of others like at [[Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship]] when it is hidden people can't work on it which isn't fair. [[User:Ihearthurling|IHearthurling]] ([[User talk:Ihearthurling|talk]]) 18:21, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Userfied''' – the page has been restored to the [[Wikipedia:Userfication|userspace]] at [[User:Ihearthurling/Mayo Junior Football Championship]].

:{{ping|Ihearthurling}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 18:37, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Mayo Intermediate Football Championship ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Mayo Intermediate Football Championship}}
This doesn't give a reason for delting this championship. All the history of this championship is gone. Just needs sources like it says.

IT should be possible to work on it to get it to the standard of others like at [[Cork Intermediate Hurling Championship]] when it is hidden people can't work on it which isn't fair. [[User:Ihearthurling|IHearthurling]] ([[User talk:Ihearthurling|talk]]) 18:21, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a draft that was deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. However, the [[Wikipedia:Drafts|draft namespace]], though it is intended to provide some breathing room to create and develop a page without the time pressure of immediate review, is not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the [[WP:MAINSPACE|article mainspace]]. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion and then submit it for review—at the least, prior to another six months elapsing. When you are ready, a review can be requested by placing this code at the top of the page and then saving: {{tlsc|submit}}.

:{{ping|Ihearthurling}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 18:36, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Rich High School (Utah) ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Rich High School (Utah)}}

Hi, I'm Flyingwhisper12, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Flyingwhisper12|Flyingwhisper12]] ([[User talk:Flyingwhisper12|talk]]) 18:52, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia.

:{{ping|Flyingwhisper12}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 18:55, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Lindsay Timberlake ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Lindsay Timberlake}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/12.166.12.3|12.166.12.3]] ([[User talk:12.166.12.3|talk]]) 21:28, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
* {{done}}. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 22:09, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:ANAK-Tnk ==

*{{revisions|Draft:ANAK-Tnk}}

Hi, I'm AdPel, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:AdPel|AdPel]] ([[User talk:AdPel|talk]]) 22:02, 7 November 2022 (UTC)
* {{re|AdPel}} {{done}}. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 22:07, 7 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Atop Technologies ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Atop Technologies}}

Hi, I'm Eatinghoho, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Eatinghoho|Eatinghoho]] ([[User talk:Eatinghoho|talk]]) 02:11, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
*{{re|Eatinghoho}} {{done}}. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 02:36, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Birla Institute of Management Technology ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Birla Institute of Management Technology}}

Hi, I'm Akshay1114, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Akshay1114|Akshay1114]] ([[User talk:Akshay1114|talk]]) 02:49, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
: {{re|Akshay1114}} {{done}}. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 03:11, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

== Brian Heidik ==

*{{revisions|Brian Heidik}}
Previous revisions deleted per AFD must be undeleted. Article was re-created one month after it was deleted. —[[User:George Ho|George Ho]] ([[User talk:George Ho|talk]]) 06:44, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

:{{yo|George Ho}} I'm not sure that that '''must''' be deleted. For all I know this article may very well need to be re-deleted via one process or another. - [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 11:54, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
:{{yo|Liz|BD2412|Graeme Bartlett}} What do y'all think? - [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 11:56, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
:: I usually favor undeleting the history of a live article, as it may contain sources and information not currently in the article. However, given that the page history in this case contains deletions for purely disruptive material and BLP violations, it seems more work than it is worth. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 13:23, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
:: On further review, there was only one edit in the previuosly deleted history suffering from that infirmity, so I have gone ahead and undeleted the rest. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 13:27, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

::I skipped over this one before because there were higher priority draft restores to do. Readers will not immediately benefit from the history addition. But I eventually would have checked it out. [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 21:41, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Mark Velasco ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Mark Velasco}}

Hi, I'm Markv68, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Markv68|Markv68]] ([[User talk:Markv68|talk]]) 07:55, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
:*{{yo|Markv68}} What do you intend to do with this page? Have you read [[WP:JOURNALIST]]? [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 11:32, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
:Also, please read our policies on [[WP:COI]] and [[WP:BLP]] very carefully, as it looks like you are writing about yourself. - [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 11:58, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Electroftalm ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Electroftalm}}

Hi, I'm Zarcin, and I would like to request the undeletion of this https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Draft:Electroftalm deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Zarcin|Zarcin]] ([[User talk:Zarcin|talk]]) 08:57, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
:*[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a [[WP:Drafts|draft]] or [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. They are not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion, prior to another six months elapsing. [[User:Graeme Bartlett|Graeme Bartlett]] ([[User talk:Graeme Bartlett|talk]]) 11:34, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Dorottya Redai ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Dorottya Redai}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/2A01:36D:1201:571:3813:1DA2:6AF2:D167|2A01:36D:1201:571:3813:1DA2:6AF2:D167]] ([[User talk:2A01:36D:1201:571:3813:1DA2:6AF2:D167|talk]]) 12:35, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia.

:I hope you've found additional citations to support notability, otherwise this may get deleted more swiftly than six months. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 12:57, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Kamilla Hermann ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Kamilla Hermann}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/2A01:36D:1201:571:3813:1DA2:6AF2:D167|2A01:36D:1201:571:3813:1DA2:6AF2:D167]] ([[User talk:2A01:36D:1201:571:3813:1DA2:6AF2:D167|talk]]) 12:36, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 12:57, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Lou Baltasar ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Lou Baltasar}}
Need to work on the article

Enter your reasoning here and then click the "Publish changes" button below —[[User:Kriskstoy|Kriskstoy]] ([[User talk:Kriskstoy|talk]]) 12:36, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia.

:{{ping|Kriskstoy}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 13:00, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Journal of Management History ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Journal of Management History}}

Hi, I'm Nickmdeal, and I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[User:Nickmdeal|Nickmdeal]] ([[User talk:Nickmdeal|talk]]) 15:16, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as an [[Wikipedia:Articles for creation|Articles for creation]] submission deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. Please edit the page to address any issues raised, and re-submit it; "Articles for creation" is not for the indefinite hosting of material found to be unsuitable for inclusion in the encyclopedia.

:{{ping|Nickmdeal}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 15:44, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Milot Selmani ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Milot Selmani}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/2003:C8:8737:C1F7:64B5:E0E1:CB2A:EFFA|2003:C8:8737:C1F7:64B5:E0E1:CB2A:EFFA]] ([[User talk:2003:C8:8737:C1F7:64B5:E0E1:CB2A:EFFA|talk]]) 17:50, 8 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a draft that was deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. However, the [[Wikipedia:Drafts|draft namespace]], though it is intended to provide some breathing room to create and develop a page without the time pressure of immediate review, is not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the [[WP:MAINSPACE|article mainspace]]. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion and then submit it for review—at the least, prior to another six months elapsing. When you are ready, a review can be requested by placing this code at the top of the page and then saving: {{tlsc|submit}}.

:{{ping|Milotselmanipoet}} You should log in. But also note, that writing about oneself is generally frowned upon. I've restored the draft, but please read our policies at [[WP:COI]] and [[WP:BLP]]. This draft is currently in violation of them and will need work in this regards to become an acceptable aritcle. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 18:01, 8 November 2022 (UTC)

== Marshall Jay Kaplan ==

*{{revisions|Marshall Jay Kaplan}}
Soft deleted at [[Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Marshall Jay Kaplan]]. Enter your reasoning here and then click the "Publish changes" button below —[[User:Gilligansisland|Gilligansisland]] ([[User talk:Gilligansisland|talk]]) 01:12, 9 November 2022 (UTC)

The page Marshall Jay Kaplan should not have been deleted. To start, Mr. Kaplan is a well known Canadian Caricaturist, whose work was seen in over 5000 publications in North America. He was also a syndicated entertainment writer, whose column was published in nearly 100 paper for a span of 20 years. In addition, Mr. Kaplan went on to star in a television series, based on his popular column, in which he was nominated for a Gemini Award - Canadian version of the US Emmy award. Most recently, Mr. Kaplan hosts a podcast which is currently the 3rd most popular podcast in Canada. We do not understand how and why his page was a soft delete. He is a respected artist, writer, tv and film producer who resides in Canada. Please undelete his page. Thank you.
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px]] '''Done''' – as a contested [[Wikipedia:Deletion_process#No_quorum|soft deletion]], the article has been restored upon request.

:{{ping|Gilligansisland}} [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 01:34, 9 November 2022 (UTC)

== Sam Low ==

*{{revisions|Sam Low}}
As a representative-elect for a state legislature, he now satisfies the requirements under [[WP:NPOL]]. —'''[[User:SounderBruce|Sounder]][[User talk:SounderBruce|Bruce]]''' 05:15, 9 November 2022 (UTC)
*{{re|SounderBruce}} I have restored this to [[Draft:Sam Low]] for now. [[WP:NPOL]] is not satisfied merely by being projected as the winner of the election. There are instances of representatives-elect not actually taking office. This can be moved to mainspace without issue once he is sworn in. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 06:26, 9 November 2022 (UTC)

== Apex University ==

*{{revisions|Apex University}}
I request you to please reconsider the decision of deletion, as I was trying to find more direct notability and content (according to [[WP:GNG]]) for the article. Since it was my first article, I took references from [[List of institutions of higher education in Rajasthan]], particularly from [[Bhagwant University]], [[Dr. K. N. Modi University]], [[Mewar University]], [[RNB Global University]], [[Singhania University]] and [[Vivekananda Global University]], which do not provide any direct notability to their articles either. I request you to please give me some time to improve my article and keep it in the mainspace. —[[User:AssAssIn1712|AssAssIn1712]] ([[User talk:AssAssIn1712|talk]]) 05:45, 9 November 2022 (UTC)
* As this was deleted by consensus based on the content and sources that the article contained at the time, I would suggest starting a new [[Draft:Apex University]] from scratch. [[User:BD2412|'''''BD2412''''']] [[User talk:BD2412|'''T''']] 06:28, 9 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:X mark.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Not done''' – this Requests for Undeletion process is only for articles that were deleted uncontroversially, and does not apply to articles deleted after a [[Wikipedia:Deletion discussions|deletion discussion]]. Since the article you are here about was deleted after a discussion took place at [[Wikipedia:Articles for deletion/Apex University]], it cannot be undeleted through this process. However, if you believe that the outcome of the discussion did not reflect the consensus of the participants, or that significant new information has come to light since the article was deleted, you may contact the [[WP:administrator|administrator]] who closed the discussion, {{user1|Randykitty}}. After you do so, if your concerns are not addressed and you still seek undeletion, a request may be made at [[Wikipedia:Deletion review|deletion review]].

:{{ping|AssAssIn1712}} I concur with [[User:BD2412]]. I encourage you to find something else to work on, though, unless you have overwhelming evidence of notability for this topic. Otherwise, you will be wasting your time writing a draft that has no chance of becoming a full article. [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 13:45, 9 November 2022 (UTC)

== Draft:Trill Pacino ==

*{{revisions|Draft:Trill Pacino}}

Hi, I would like to request the undeletion of this [[WP:Drafts|draft]] deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]]. Please restore the page so that I can make edits to it. Thank you. [[Special:Contributions/197.184.176.57|197.184.176.57]] ([[User talk:197.184.176.57|talk]]) 13:22, 9 November 2022 (UTC)
:[[File:Yes check.svg|18px|link=|]] '''Done''' – as a draft that was deleted under [[WP:CSD#G13|CSD G13]], the page has been restored upon request. However, the [[Wikipedia:Drafts|draft namespace]], though it is intended to provide some breathing room to create and develop a page without the time pressure of immediate review, is not for the indefinite hosting of material that is unsuitable for inclusion in the [[WP:MAINSPACE|article mainspace]]. Please continue to work on the draft so that it meets Wikipedia's policies and guidelines for inclusion and then submit it for review—at the least, prior to another six months elapsing. When you are ready, a review can be requested by placing this code at the top of the page and then saving: {{tlsc|submit}}.

:If you are [[User:Trill Pacino]], you should log in to make edits. It is frowned upon to write an article about yourself, though it is not forbidden. However, you are strongly encouraged to read [[WP:BLP]] and [[WP:COI]] our policies on articles about living people and on conflict of interest. - [[User:UtherSRG|UtherSRG]] [[User_talk:UtherSRG|(talk)]] 13:42, 9 November 2022 (UTC)

== 2008 West Palm Beach Wendy's shooting ==

*{{revisions|2008 West Palm Beach Wendy's shooting}}
I would like this article to be refunded to draftspace so that I can improve it and move it to article space through AFC. This article was deleted in 2008, and I am putting it up for undeletion as it is "[[Wikipedia:Deletion review#Purpose|a very old article where substantial new sources have subsequently arisen.]]" See [[Wikipedia:Teahouse#Notability of event]]. —[[User:MelatoninEmbryo|MelatoninEmbryo]] ([[User talk:MelatoninEmbryo|talk]]) 15:46, 9 November 2022 (UTC)

== Voice Of Peace Afghanistan ==

*{{revisions|Page name goes here}}
Enter your reasoning here and then click the "Publish changes" button below —[[User:VoiceOfPeace6|VoiceOfPeace6]] ([[User talk:VoiceOfPeace6|talk]]) 16:41, 9 November 2022 (UTC)

Dear Receiver of this email,
I hope this finds you well.

I created page about a volunteer movement called Voice Of Peace Afghanistan but It got deleted by the Wikipedia without bringing a exact reason. This page was not about anything commercial, it was a brief summary of an Afghan Youth Movement.

Sincerely,
Ahmad Faisal Imran

Herat

2022-10-30T18:10:10Z

VoiceOfPeace6:

{{Short description|City in Herat Province, Afghanistan}}
{{for multi|the city in Iran|Herat, Iran|the principality by the same name|Herat (1793–1863)}}
{{Cleanup|reason=Overload of images in non-relevant sections|date=August 2022}}
{{Infobox settlement

| name = Herat
| native_name = {{nq|هرات}}
| settlement_type = [[List of cities in Afghanistan|City]]
| image_skyline = {{multiple image
| border = infobox
| total_width = 300
| perrow = 1/2/2
| image1 = View of Herat in 2009.jpg
| alt1 =
| image2 = Herat city by Ali mosavi sam.jpg
| alt2 =
| image3 = Section of Herat in 2009.jpg
| alt3 =
| image4 = Friday Mosque in Herat, Afghanistan.jpg
| alt4 =
}}
| image_caption =
| image_flag =
| image_seal =
| image_shield =
| image_map =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Afghanistan#West Asia#Asia
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_label_position = above
| pushpin_mapsize = 300px
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Afghanistan
| coordinates = {{coord|34|20|31|N|62|12|11|E|region:AF|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = Afghanistan
| subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Afghanistan|Province]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Herat Province|Herat]]
| subdivision_type2 =
| subdivision_name2 =
| established_title =
| established_date =
| government_type = 
| government_footnotes =
| leader_title =
| leader_name = 
| area_total_km2 = 182
| area_land_km2 = 
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| area_note = <ref>{{Cite web |url=http://samuelhall.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/State-of-Afghan-Cities-2015-Volume_1.pdf |title=OCHA - February Humanitarian Bulletin |access-date=2018-01-25 |archive-date=2017-03-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170312082849/http://samuelhall.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/09/State-of-Afghan-Cities-2015-Volume_1.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>
| elevation_footnotes = 
| elevation_m = 920
| population_footnotes =
| population_total =
| population_as_of =
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_note =
| timezone = Afghanistan Standard Time
| utc_offset = +4:30
| timezone_DST =
| utc_offset_DST = 
| postal_code_type = 
| postal_code =
| area_code =
| blank_name = [[Köppen climate classification|Climate]]
| blank_info = [[Semi-arid climate#Cold semi-arid climates|BSk]]
| nickname = "The Pearl of Khorasan"<ref>{{Cite web|title=Hadith - Book of Tribulations - Sunan Ibn Majah - Sunnah.com - Sayings and Teachings of Prophet Muhammad (صلى الله عليه و سلم)|url=https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah/36/147|access-date=2020-12-24|website=sunnah.com|archive-date=2020-11-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112011312/https://sunnah.com/ibnmajah/36/147|url-status=live}}</ref>
| website =
| official_name =
| population_est = 592,902<ref name=nsia>{{cite web |url=https://www.nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Estimated-Population-of-Afghanistan1-1400.pdf |title=Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2021-22 |author= |date=April 2021 |website= |publisher=National Statistic and Information Authority (NSIA)|archive-date=June 24, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204559/https://www.nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Estimated-Population-of-Afghanistan1-1400.pdf|url-status=live |access-date=June 21, 2021 |quote=}}</ref>
| pop_est_as_of = 2021
}}
'''Herāt''' ({{IPAc-en|h|ɛ|ˈ|r|ɑː|t}};<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herat Herat - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131006145828/http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/herat |date=2013-10-06 }}. Merriam-webster.com (2012-08-31). Retrieved on 2013-07-12.</ref> [[Persian language|Persian]]: {{lang|fa|{{nq|هرات}}}}) is an [[oasis]] city and the [[List of cities in Afghanistan|third-largest city]] of [[Afghanistan]].<ref name="rferl.org">{{cite web| url = https://www.rferl.org/a/1101533.html| title = Afghanistan: Herat's Treasures Can't Compensate For Atmosphere Of Fear}}</ref> In 2020, it had an estimated population of 574,276, and serves as the capital of [[Herat Province]], situated south of the [[Paropamisus Mountains]] (''Selseleh-ye Safēd Kōh'') in the fertile valley of the [[Hari (Afghanistan)|Hari River]] in the western part of the country. An ancient civilization on the [[Silk Road]] between the Middle East, Central and South Asia,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/aija/82/735/82_1367/_pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2021-07-26 |archive-date=2019-04-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190430181051/https://www.jstage.jst.go.jp/article/aija/82/735/82_1367/_pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> it serves as a regional hub in the country's west. This city is one of the most historical cities of Afghanistan.

Herat dates back to [[Avestan geography|Avestan times]] and was traditionally known for its [[wine]]. The city has a number of historic sites, including the [[Herat Citadel]] and the [[Musalla Complex]]. During the [[Middle Ages]] Herat became one of the important cities of [[Greater Khorasan|Khorasan]], as it was known as the ''Pearl of Khorasan''.<ref name="Mustawfi" /> After the conquest of [[Tamerlane]], the city became an important center of intellectual and artistic life in the Islamic world.<ref name="TheMet">{{cite web |url=http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/timu/hd_timu.htm |title=The Art of the Timurid Period (ca. 1370–1507) |access-date=7 November 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161125142429/http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/timu/hd_timu.htm |archive-date=25 November 2016 }}</ref> Under the rule of [[Shah Rukh]] the city served as the focal point of the [[Timurid Renaissance]], whose glory matched [[Florence]] of the [[Italian Renaissance]] as the center of a cultural rebirth.<ref>Periods of World History: A Latin American Perspective - Page 129</ref><ref>The Empire of the Steppes: A History of Central Asia - Page 465</ref> After the fall of the [[Timurid Empire]], Herat has been governed by various Afghan rulers since the early 18th century.<ref name="Singh">Singh, Ganda (1959). ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=tvp9QgAACAAJ&dq=&source=gbs_navlinks_s Ahmad Shah Durrani, father of modern Afghanistan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160515233619/https://books.google.com/books?id=tvp9QgAACAAJ&dq=&source=gbs_navlinks_s |date=2016-05-15 }}''. Asia Publishing House, Bombay. (PDF version [http://www.khyber.org/books/pdf/ahmad-shah-baba.pdf|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207183925/http://www.khyber.org/books/pdf/ahmad-shah-baba.pdf 66 MB] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130207183925/http://www.khyber.org/books/pdf/ahmad-shah-baba.pdf |date=February 7, 2013 }})</ref> In 1716, the Abdali Afghans inhabiting the city revolted and formed their own Sultanate, the [[Sadozai Sultanate of Herat]]. They were conquered by the [[Afsharid dynasty|Afsharids]] in 1732. After [[Nader Shah]]'s death and [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]]'s rise to power in 1747, Herat became part of [[Durrani Empire|Afghanistan]].<ref name="Singh" /> It became [[Herat (1793–1863)|an independent city-state]] in the first half of the 19th century, facing several [[Qajar Iran|Iranian]] invasions until being incorporated into [[Emirate of Afghanistan|Afghanistan]] in 1863.<ref name=":0" /> The roads from Herat to Iran (through the border town of [[Islam Qala]]) and Turkmenistan (through the border town of [[Torghundi]]) are still strategically important. As the gateway to Iran, it collects high amount of customs revenue for Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8180832.stm |work=BBC News |title=Bomb blast hits west Afghan city |date=August 3, 2009 |access-date=March 26, 2010 |archive-date=September 30, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090930134913/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8180832.stm |url-status=live }}</ref> It also has an [[Herat International Airport|international airport]]. Following the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|2001 war]] the city had been relatively safe from Taliban insurgent attacks.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-36974513|title=Do tourists really go to Afghanistan?|first=Roland|last=Hughes|date=4 August 2016|work=BBC News|access-date=21 July 2018|archive-date=1 May 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180501043520/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-36974513|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2021, it was announced that Herat would be listed as a [[World Heritage Site|UNESCO World Heritage Site]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Herat City to Be Listed as UNESCO World Heritage Site|url=https://tolonews.com/arts-culture-173228|access-date=2021-07-04|website=TOLOnews|language=en}}</ref> On 12 August 2021, the city was seized by [[Taliban]] fighters as part of the Taliban's [[2021 Taliban offensive|summer offensive]].<ref name="offensive">{{cite news|url=https://news.sky.com/story/taliban-take-herat-afghanistans-third-largest-city-as-they-push-towards-kabul-12379899|title=Taliban take Herat, Afghanistan's third-largest city, as they push towards Kabul}}</ref>

==History==
{{see also|Timeline of Herat|Alexandria Ariana}}
{{Further|History of Afghanistan}}
[[File:PtolemyCentralAsia.jpg|thumb|left|200px|Reconstruction of [[Ptolemy]]'s map (2nd century AD) of [[Aria (satrapy)|Aria]] (Herat) and neighbouring states by the 15th century German [[cartographer]] [[Nicolaus Germanus]]]]
Herat is first recorded in ancient times, but its precise date of foundation is unknown. Under the Persian [[Achaemenid Empire]] (550–330 BC), the surrounding district was known by the [[Old Persian]] name of ''Haraiva'' (𐏃𐎼𐎡𐎺), and in classical sources, the region was correspondingly known as Areia ([[Aria (satrapy)|Aria]]). In the [[Zoroastrian]] collection of [[Avesta]], the district is referred as ''Haroiva''. The name of the district and its principal town is a derivative from that of the local river, the [[Hari River, Afghanistan|Herey River]] (from [[Old Iranian]] ''Harayu'', meaning "with velocity"), which goes through the district and ends {{convert|5|km|abbr=on}} south of Herat.{{sfn|Vogelsang|2003|pp=205–206}} Herey is mentioned in Sanskrit as a yellow or golden color equivalent to Persian "Zard" meaning Gold (yellow). The naming of a region and its principal town after the main river is a common feature in this part of the world— compare the adjoining districts/rivers/towns of [[Arachosia]] and [[Bactria]].
{{History of Afghanistan}}
The district ''Aria'' of the Achaemenid Empire is mentioned in the provincial lists that are included in various royal inscriptions, for instance, in the [[Behistun inscription]] of [[Darius I]] (ca. 520 BC).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/Persia/Behistun_txt.html|title=The Behistan Inscription of King Darius|author=Translated by Herbert Cushing Tolman|publisher=[[Vanderbilt University]], Nashville, Tennessee|access-date=2006-10-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090413214509/http://mcadams.posc.mu.edu/txt/ah/Persia/Behistun_txt.html|archive-date=2009-04-13|url-status=dead}}</ref> Representatives from the district are depicted in reliefs, e.g., at the royal Achaemenid tombs of [[Naqsh-e Rustam]] and [[Persepolis]]. They are wearing [[Scythians|Scythian]]-style dress (with a [[tunic]] and [[trousers]] tucked into high [[boot]]s) and a twisted [[Bashlyk]] that covers their head, chin and neck.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/herat-ii|title=HERAT ii. HISTORY, PRE-ISLAMIC PERIOD – Encyclopædia Iranica|last=electricpulp.com|website=www.iranicaonline.org|access-date=2011-09-15|archive-date=2016-09-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160901210956/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/herat-ii|url-status=live}}</ref>

[[Hamdallah Mustawfi]], composer of the 14th-century geographical work ''[[Nuzhat al-Qulub]]'' writes that:{{quote|Herāt was the name of one of the chiefs among the followers of the hero Narīmān, and it was he who first founded the city. After it had fallen to ruin [[Alexander the Great]] rebuilt it, and the circuit of its walls was 9000 paces.<ref name="Mustawfi"/>}}

[[Herodotus]] described Herat as ''the bread-basket of Central Asia''. At the time of Alexander the Great in 330 BC, Aria was obviously an important district. It was administered by a [[satrap]] called [[Satibarzanes]], who was one of the three main Persian officials in the East of the Empire, together with the satrap [[Bessus]] of [[Bactria]] and [[Barsaentes]] of Arachosia. In late 330 BC, Alexander captured the Arian capital that was called [[Artacoana]]. The town was rebuilt and the citadel was constructed. Afghanistan became part of the [[Seleucid Empire]].

[[File:Coin of Bahram II, Herat mint (2).jpg|thumb|left|Coin of [[Bahram II]]; Herat mint]]
However, most sources suggest that Herat was predominantly [[Zoroastrian]]. It became part of the [[Parthian Empire]] in 167 BC. In the [[Sasanian]] period (226-652), 𐭧𐭥𐭩𐭥 ''Harēv'' is listed in an inscription on the [[Ka'ba-i Zartosht]] at [[Naqsh-e Rustam]]; and ''Hariy'' is mentioned in the [[Middle Persian|Pahlavi]] catalogue of the provincial capitals of the empire. In around 430, the town is also listed as having a Christian community, with a [[Nestorian Church|Nestorian]] bishop.<ref>The earliest recorded date of a bishop in Herat is 424. {{cite web|url=http://www.nestorian.org/location_of_nestorian_bishops.html |title=ASP Test Page |access-date=2011-04-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515040342/http://www.nestorian.org/location_of_nestorian_bishops.html |archive-date=2011-05-15 }}</ref>

In the last two centuries of Sasanian rule, Aria (Herat) had great strategic importance in the endless wars between the Sasanians, the [[Chionites]] and the [[Hephthalites]] who had been settled in the northern section of Afghanistan since the late 4th century.

===Islamization===
{{Further|Islamic conquest of Afghanistan}}
[[File:Herat Congregational Mosque -Afghanistan.jpg|thumb|right|Inside the famous [[Friday Mosque of Herat]] or ''Masjid Jami'', which is one of the oldest mosques in [[Afghanistan]].]]
At the time of the [[Islamic conquest of Afghanistan|Arab invasion]] in the middle of the 7th century, the [[Sasanian]] central power seemed already largely nominal in the province in contrast with the role of the [[Hephthalites]] tribal lords, who were settled in the Herat region and in the neighboring districts, mainly in pastoral [[Badghis Province|Bādghis]] and in [[Quhistan|Qohestān]]. It must be underlined, however, that Herat remained one of the three Sasanian mint centers in the east, the other two beings [[Balkh Province|Balkh]] and [[Merv|Marv]]. The Hephthalites from Herat and some unidentified [[Turkic peoples|Turks]] opposed the Arab forces in a battle of Qohestān in 651-52 AD, trying to block their advance on [[Nishapur|Nishāpur]], but they were defeated

When the Arab armies appeared in [[Greater Khorasan|Khorāsān]] in the 650s AD, Herāt was counted among the twelve capital towns of the Sasanian Empire. The Arab army under the general command of [[Ahnaf ibn Qais]] in its conquest of Khorāsān in 652 seems to have avoided Herāt, but it can be assumed that the city eventually submitted to the Arabs, since shortly afterward an Arab governor is mentioned there. A treaty was drawn in which the regions of Bādghis and Bushanj were included. As did many other places in Khorāsān, Herāt rebelled and had to be re-conquered several times.<ref>[[Muhammad ibn Jarir al-Tabari|Abu Ja’far Muḥammad ibn Jarir Ṭabari]], Taʾrikh al-rosul wa’l-moluk, pp. 2904-6</ref>

Another power that was active in the area in the 650s was [[Tang dynasty]] China which had embarked on a campaign that culminated in the [[Conquest of the Western Turks]]. By 659–661, the Tang claimed a tenuous suzerainty over Herat, the westernmost point of Chinese power in its long history. This hold however would be ephemeral with local Turkish tribes rising in rebellion in 665 and driving out the Tang.<ref name="tang">{{cite book|title=Warfare in Chinese History|date=2000|publisher=Brill|page=118}}</ref>

In 702 AD [[Yazid ibn al-Muhallab]] defeated certain Arab rebels, followers of [[Ibn al-Ash'ath]], and forced them out of Herat. The city was the scene of conflicts between different groups of Muslims and Arab tribes in the disorders leading to the establishment of the [[Abbasid Caliphate]]. Herat was also a center of the followers of [[Ustadh Sis]].

In 870 AD, [[Ya'qub-i Laith Saffari|Yaqub ibn Layth Saffari]], a local ruler of the [[Saffarids|Saffarid dynasty]] conquered Herat and the rest of the nearby regions in the name of Islam.{{Quote|...Arab armies carrying the banner of Islam came out of the west to defeat the [[Sasanians]] in 642 AD and then they marched with confidence to the east. On the western periphery of the Afghan area, the princes of Herat and [[Seistan]] gave way to rule by Arab governors but in the east, in the mountains, cities submitted only to rise in revolt, and the hastily converted returned to their old beliefs once the armies passed. The harshness and avariciousness of Arab rule produced such unrest, however, that once the waning power of the [[Caliphate]] became apparent, native rulers once again established themselves independent. Among these, the Saffarids of Seistan shone briefly in the Afghan area. The fanatic founder of this dynasty, the coppersmith's apprentice Yaqub ibn Layth Saffari, came forth from his capital at [[Zaranj]] in 870 AD and marched through [[Lashkar Gah|Bost]], [[Kandahar Province|Kandahar]], [[Ghazni Province|Ghazni]], [[Kabulistan|Kabul]], [[Bamiyan]], [[Balkh Province|Balkh]] and Herat, conquering in the name of Islam.<ref Name=Dupree3>{{Cite book|title=An Historical Guide to Afghanistan|last1=Dupree|first1=Nancy Hatch|volume=First Edition|year=1970|publisher=Afghan Air Authority, Afghan Tourist Organization|location=Kabul|page=492|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T__DHAAACAAJ|access-date=2012-06-17|archive-date=2021-05-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501125959/https://books.google.com/books?id=T__DHAAACAAJ&q=inauthor%3A%22Nancy+Hatch+Dupree%22|url-status=live}}</ref>|[[Nancy Dupree|N. Dupree]]}}

===Pearl of Khorasan===
{{Further|Tahirid dynasty|Saffarid dynasty|Ghaznavids|Ghurid dynasty|Timurid dynasty|Safavid dynasty}}
The region of Herāt was under the rule of King [[Nuh II|Nuh III]], the seventh of the [[Samanids|Samanid]] line—at the time of [[Sebük Tigin]] and his older son, [[Mahmud of Ghazni]].<ref name=Skrine>{{cite book
|last1= Skrine
|first1= Francis Henry
|author-link1=Francis Henry Skrine
|last2= Ross
|first2= Edward Denison
|author-link2=Edward Denison Ross
|page= 117
|year= 2004
|isbn= 0-7007-1017-5
|title= The heart of Asia: a history of Russian Turkestan and the Central Asian Khanates from the earliest times
|publisher= [[Routledge]]}}</ref> The governor of Herāt was a noble by the name of ''Faik'', who was appointed by Nuh III. It is said that Faik was a powerful, but insubordinate governor of Nuh III, and had been punished by Nuh III. Faik made overtures to [[Bogra Khan]] and [[Ughar Khan]] of [[Greater Khorasan|Khorasan]]. Bogra Khan answered Faik's call, came to Herāt, and became its ruler. The Samanids fled, betrayed at the hands of Faik to whom the defense of Herāt had been entrusted by Nuh III.<ref name=Skrine/> In 994, Nuh III invited [[Alptegin]] to come to his aid. Alptegin, along with Mahmud of Ghazni, defeated Faik and annexed Herāt, [[Nishapur]] and [[Tous, Iran|Tous]].<ref name=Skrine/>
[[File:Seljuq Ewer.jpg|thumb|100px|[https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/450513 High-spouted brass ewer, from Herat, Seljuk period (AD 1180-1200)].]]
[[File:Herat Ewer.jpg|thumbnail|right|100 px|Another identical ewer in the [[British Museum]]]]
[[File:Behzad timur egyptian.jpg|left|thumb|150px|Battleground of Timur and Egyptian King, by [[Kamāl ud-Dīn Behzād|Kamāl ud-Dīn Behzād Herawī]], a famous painter from Herat, c. 1494–1495, [[Timurids|Timurid era]]]]
[[File:Persian calligraphy - Mir Ali Tabrizi.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Page of [[calligraphy]] in [[nasta'liq]] script by the 16th century master calligrapher [[Mir Ali Heravi]]<ref>[http://www.louvre.fr/llv/activite/detail_parcours.jsp?CURRENT_LLV_PARCOURS%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673464057&CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673465686&CURRENT_LLV_CHEMINEMENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673465686&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500830&bmLocale=en Musée du Louvre, Calligraphy in Islamic Art] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111110041444/http://www.louvre.fr/llv/activite/detail_parcours.jsp?CURRENT_LLV_PARCOURS%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673464057&CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673465686&CURRENT_LLV_CHEMINEMENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673465686&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500830&bmLocale=en |date=2011-11-10 }}</ref>]]
[[File:TimuridTankard.jpg|thumb|right|150px|[[Brass]] cup or [[tankard]], [[Timurids|Timurid period]], 15th century A.D., from Herāt.]]

Herat was a great trading center strategically located on trade routes from Mediterranean to India or to China. The city was noted for its textiles during the Abbasid Caliphate, according to many references by geographers. Herāt also had many learned sons such as [[Khwajah Abdullah Ansari|Ansārī]]. The city is described by [[Estakhri]] and [[Ibn Hawqal]] in the 10th century as a prosperous town surrounded by strong walls with plenty of water sources, extensive suburbs, an inner citadel, a congregational mosque, and four gates, each gate opening to a thriving market place. The government building was outside the city at a distance of about a mile in a place called Khorāsānābād. A church was still visible in the countryside northeast of the town on the road to [[Balkh]], and farther away on a hilltop stood a flourishing [[fire temple]], called Sereshk, or Arshak according to [[Hamdallah Mustawfi|Mustawfi]].<ref name="Mustawfi"/><ref>''[[The Encyclopaedia of Islam]]'', Brill Publishers, Vol.3: H-Iram, 1986, Leiden, pp. 177</ref><ref>Eṣṭaḵri, pp. 263-65, tr. pp. 277-82</ref><ref>Ibn Ḥawqal, pp. 437-39, tr. pp. 424;</ref><ref>Moqaddasi (Maqdesi), Aḥsan al-taqāsim fi maʿrifat al-aqālim, ed. M. J. de Goeje, Leiden, 1906, p. 307;</ref>

Herat was a part of the [[Tahirid dynasty|Taherid]] dominion in Khorāsān until the rise of the [[Saffarid dynasty|Saffarids]] in [[Sistan|Sistān]] under [[Ya'qub-i Laith Saffari|Ya'qub-i Laith]] in 861, who, in 862, started launching raids on Herat before besieging and capturing it on 16 August 867, and again in 872. The Saffarids succeeded in expelling the Taherids from Khorasan in 873.

The [[Samanids|Sāmānid dynasty]] was established in [[Transoxiana]] by three brothers, [[Nuh I|Nuh]], [[Yahya ibn Asad|Yahyā]], and [[Ahmad Samani|Ahmad]]. Ahmad Sāmāni opened the way for the Samanid dynasty to the conquest of Khorāsān, including Herāt, which they were to rule for one century. The centralized Samanid administration served as a model for later dynasties. The Samanid power was destroyed in 999 by the [[Qarakhanids]], who were advancing on Transoxiana from the northeast, and by the [[Ghaznavids]], former Samanid retainers, attacking from the southeast.

[[Mahmud of Ghazni|Sultan Maḥmud of Ghazni]] officially took control of Khorāsān in 998. Herat was one of the six Ghaznavid mints in the region. In 1040, Herat was captured by the [[Seljuk Empire]]. During this change of power in Herat, there was supposedly a power vacuum which was filled by [[Qutb Shah|Abdullah Awn]], who established a city-state and made an alliance with Mahmud of Ghazni.<ref name=":02">{{Cite book|last=Bahri|first=Hardev|title=Lahndi Phonetics, with Special Reference to Awáṇkárí|publisher=Bharati Press Prakashan|year=1963|pages=10 and 11}}</ref> Yet, in 1175, it was captured by the [[Ghurid dynasty|Ghurids]] of [[Ghor]] and then came under the [[Khwarazmian dynasty|Khawarazm Empire]] in 1214. According to the account of Mustawfi, Herat flourished especially under the [[Ghurid dynasty]] in the 12th century. Mustawfi reported that there were "359 colleges in Herat, 12,000 shops all fully occupied, 6,000 bath-houses; besides caravanserais and mills, also a [[darwish]] [[convent]] and a fire temple". There were about 444,000 houses occupied by a settled population. The men were described as "warlike and carry arms", and they were [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] [[Muslim]]s.<ref name="Mustawfi">{{cite web |url=http://persian.packhum.org/persian/pf?file=16301012&ct=16 |title=The Geographical Part of the NUZHAT-AL-QULŪB |author=Ḥamd-Allāh Mustawfī of Qazwīn |work=Translated by Guy Le Strange |publisher=[[Packard Humanities Institute]] |year=1340 |access-date=2011-08-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130726144951/http://persian.packhum.org/persian/pf?file=16301012&ct=16 |archive-date=2013-07-26 |url-status=dead }}</ref> The [[Friday Mosque of Herat|great mosque of Herāt]] was built by [[Ghiyasuddin Ghori]] in 1201. In this period Herāt became an important center for the production of metal goods, especially in [[bronze]], often decorated with elaborate inlays in precious metals.

The [[Mongol Empire|Mongols]] laid siege to Herat twice. The first siege resulted in the surrender of the city, the slaughter of the local sultan's army of 12,000, and the appointment of two governors, one Mongol and one Muslim. The second, prompted by a rebellion against Mongol rule, lasted seven months and ended in June 1222 with, according to one account, the beheading of the entire population of 1,600,000 people by the victorious Mongols, such that "no head was left on a body, nor body with a head."<ref>[https://archive.org/details/Boyle1968IlKhansCHIran05/page/n12/mode/1up?view=theater ''Cambridge History of Iran'', Vol.V, Ch.4, "Dynastic and Political History of the Il-Khans" (John Andrew Boyle), pp.315-6 (1968).]</ref>

The city remained in ruins from 1222 to about 1236. In 1244 a local prince Shams al-Din Kart was named ruler of Herāt by the Mongol governor of Khorāsān and in 1255 he was confirmed in his rule by the founder of the [[Ilkhanate|Il-Khan dynasty]] [[Hulagu Khan|Hulagu]]. Shamsuddin Kart founded a new dynasty and his successors, especially Fakhruddin Kart and Ghiyasuddin Kart, built many mosques and other buildings. The members of this dynasty were great patrons of literature and the arts. By this time Herāt became known as the ''pearl of Khorasan''.{{quote|If anyone asks thee which is the pleasantest of cities, Thou mayest answer him aright that it is Herāt. For the world is like the sea, and the province of Khurāsān like a pearl-oyster therein, The city of Herāt being as the pearl in the middle of the oyster.<ref name="Mustawfi"/>|[[Rumi]]|1207–1273 A.D.}}

[[Timur]] took Herat in 1380 and he brought the [[Kartids|Kartid dynasty]] to an end a few years later. The city reached its greatest glory under the [[Timurid dynasty|Timurid princes]], especially [[Husayn Bayqarah|Sultan Husayn Bayqara]] who ruled Herat from 1469 until May 4, 1506. His chief minister, the poet and author in Persian and Turkish, [[Ali-Shir Nava'i|Mir Ali-Shir Nava'i]] was a great builder and patron of the arts. Under the Timurids, Herat assumed the role of the main capital of an empire that extended in the West as far as central Persia. As the capital of the Timurid empire, it boasted many fine religious buildings and was famous for its sumptuous court life and musical performance and its tradition of miniature paintings. On the whole, the period was one of relative stability, prosperity, and development of economy and cultural activities. It began with the nomination of [[Shah Rukh (Timurid dynasty)|Shahrokh]], the youngest son of Timur, as governor of Herat in 1397. The reign of Shahrokh in Herat was marked by intense royal patronage, building activities, and the promotion of manufacturing and trade, especially through the restoration and enlargement of the Herat's bāzār. The present Musallah Complex, and many buildings such as the madrasa of [[Gawhar Shad]], Ali Shir mahāl, many gardens, and others, date from this time. The village of [[Gazar Gah]], over two km northeast of Herat, contained a shrine that was enlarged and embellished under the Timurids. The tomb of the poet and mystic [[Khwajah Abdullah Ansari|Khwājah Abdullāh Ansārī]] (d. 1088), was first rebuilt by Shahrokh about 1425, and other famous men were buried in the shrine area. Herat was shortly captured by [[Kara Koyunlu]] between 1458 and 1459.<ref>[http://www.azerbaijans.com/content_369_tr.html Azerbaycan :: Karakoyunlu devleti] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130206192859/http://www.azerbaijans.com/content_369_tr.html |date=2013-02-06 }}. Azerbaijans.com. Retrieved on 2013-07-12.</ref>

In 1507 Herat was occupied by the [[Shaybanid Dynasty|Uzbeks]] but after much fighting the city was taken by [[Ismail I|Shah Isma'il]], the founder of the [[Safavid dynasty]], in 1510 and the Shamlu [[Qizilbash]] assumed the governorship of the area. Under the Safavids, Herat was again relegated to the position of a provincial capital, albeit one of particular importance. At the death of Shah Isma'il the Uzbeks again took Herat and held it until [[Tahmasp I|Shah Tahmasp]] retook it in 1528. The Persian king, [[Abbas I of Persia|Abbas]] was born in Herat, and in Safavid texts, Herat is referred to as ''a'zam-i bilād-i īrān'', meaning "the greatest of the cities of Iran".<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Savory|first1=Roger|title=The Safavid state and polity|journal=Iranian Studies|date=2 January 2007|volume=7|issue=1–2|page=206|doi=10.1080/00210867408701463|quote=Herat is referred to as a'zam-i bilād-i īrān (the greatest of the cities of Iran) and Isfahan as khulāsa-yi mulk-i īrān (the choicest part of the realm of Iran).}}</ref> In the 16th century, all future Safavid rulers, from Tahmasp I to Abbas I, were governors of Herat in their youth.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|last1=Szuppe|first1=Maria|title=HERAT iii. HISTORY, MEDIEVAL PERIOD|url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/herat-iii|encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Iranica|access-date=13 March 2017|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314062827/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/herat-iii|archive-date=14 March 2017|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===Modern history===
{{Further|Sadozai Sultanate of Herat|Durrani Empire}}

By the early 18th century Herat was governed by the [[Sadozai Sultanate of Herat|Abdali Afghans]]. After [[Nader Shah]]'s death in 1747, [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] took possession of the city and became part of the [[Durrani Empire]].<ref name=Singh/>
[[File:Herati Soldiers 1879.jpg|thumb|Herati Soldiers 1879]]
[[File:Qiran Coin of Naser al-Din Qajar minted in Herat.jpg|thumb|248x248px|1 Qiran Coin of [[Naser al-Din Shah Qajar|Naser al-Din Qajar]]; Herat mint, 1861]]
In 1793, [[Herat (1793-1863)|Herat became independent]] for several years when [[Durrani Empire|Afghanistan]] underwent a civil war between different sons of [[Timur Shah Durrani|Timur Shah]]. The [[Qajar Iran|Iranians]] had multiple wars with Herat between 1801 and 1837 (1804, 1807, 1811, 1814, 1817, 1818, 1821, 1822, 1825, 1833).<ref name=":0">{{Cite book|last=Noelle-Karimi|first=Christine|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Kdl9oAEACAAJ|title=The Pearl in Its Midst: Herat and the Mapping of Khurasan (15th-19th Centuries)|date=2014|publisher=Austrian Academy of Sciences Press|isbn=978-3-7001-7202-4|language=en}}</ref> The Iranians [[Siege of Herat (1838)|besieged the city in 1837]], but the British helped the Heratis in repelling them. In 1856, they invaded again, and briefly managed to take the city on October 25;<ref name=":0" /> it led directly to the [[Anglo-Persian War]]. In 1857 hostilities between the Iranians and the British ended after the [[Treaty of Paris (1857)|Treaty of Paris]] was signed, and the Persian troops withdrew from Herat in September 1857.<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Avery|editor1-first=Peter|editor2-last=Hambly|editor2-first=Gavin|editor3-last=Melville|editor3-first=Charles|title=The Cambridge History of Iran (Vol. 7): From Nadir Shah to the Islamic Republic|date=1991|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0521200950|pages=183, 394–395}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Afghanistan conquered Herat on May 26, 1863, under [[Dost Muhammad Khan]], two weeks before his death.<ref>{{cite book|author=Ewans|title=Afghanistan: A short History of its People and Politics|date=2002|publisher=Perennial|isbn=006-050508-7|pages=[https://archive.org/details/afghanistanshort00ewan/page/77 77]|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/afghanistanshort00ewan/page/77}}</ref>
<gallery>
File:Herat Remains of Musallah complex.jpg|Traffic passing on the road near the Herat minarets, 2005.
File:Gawhar shad-1417-2.jpg| The two mausoleums with the minarets, July 2001.
</gallery>

The famous [[Musalla Complex|Musalla of Gawhar Shah]] of Herat, a large Islamic religious complex consisting of five minarets, several mausoleums along with [[mosque]]s and [[madrasa]]s was dynamited during the [[Panjdeh incident]] to prevent their usage by the advancing [[Russian Armed Forces|Russian forces]]. Some emergency preservation work was carried out at the site in 2001 which included building protective walls around the [[Gawhar Shad Mausoleum]] and Sultan Husain Madrasa, repairing the remaining minaret of Gawhar Shad's Madrasa, and replanting the mausoleum garden.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.touristspots.org/mousallah-complex-in-herat-afghanistan/|title=Mousallah Complex in Herat – Afghanistan – Tourist Spots Around the World|website=Touristspots.org|access-date=21 January 2019|archive-date=21 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190121232855/https://www.touristspots.org/mousallah-complex-in-herat-afghanistan/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.rferl.org/a/1059997.html|title=Afghanistan: Race To Preserve Historic Minarets Of Herat, Jam|website=Rferl.org|access-date=21 January 2019|archive-date=30 July 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180730021724/https://www.rferl.org/a/1059997.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.adventuretravelphotos.com/|title=Tư vấn sản phẩm|website=Adventuretravelphotos.com|access-date=21 January 2019|archive-date=25 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190125042848/http://www.adventuretravelphotos.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:1973-12-05 Herat (9).jpg|thumb|left|Bazaar of Herat, 1973]]
[[File:Afghan rugs getting treated for age (1977) - panoramio.jpg|thumb|left|[[Afghan rug]]s in Herat, 1977]]
In the 1960s, engineers from the United States built [[Herat International Airport|Herat Airport]], which was used by the [[Soviet Union|Soviet]] forces during the [[Democratic Republic of Afghanistan]] in the 1980s. Even before the [[Soviet–Afghan War|Soviet invasion]] at the end of 1979, there was a substantial presence of Soviet advisors in the city with their families.

Between March 10 and March 20, 1979, the [[Afghan National Army|Afghan Army]] in Herāt under the control of commander [[Ismail Khan]] mutinied. Thousands of protesters took to the streets against the [[Khalq]] communist regime's oppression led by [[Nur Mohammad Taraki]]. The new rebels led by Khan managed to oust the communists and take control of the city for 3 days, with some protesters murdering any Soviet advisers. This shocked the government, who blamed the new administration of [[Iran]] following the [[Iranian Revolution]] for influencing the uprising.<ref>''Revolution Unending: Afghanistan, 1979 to the Present'' by Gilles Dorronsoro, 2005</ref> Reprisals by the government followed, and between 3,000 and 24,000 people (according to different sources) were killed, in what is called the [[1979 Herat uprising]], or in Persian as the ''Qiam-e Herat''.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=buHXFDFdeoQC&q=herat+soviet+revolt+1979+thousand&pg=PA68|title=Resisting Rebellion: The History and Politics of Counterinsurgency|first=Anthony James|last=Joes|date=18 August 2006|publisher=University Press of Kentucky|via=Google Books|isbn=9780813191706|access-date=5 October 2020|archive-date=28 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210528204449/https://books.google.com/books?id=buHXFDFdeoQC&q=herat+soviet+revolt+1979+thousand&pg=PA68|url-status=live}}</ref> The city itself was recaptured with tanks and [[airborne forces]], but at the cost of thousands of civilians killed. This massacre was the first of its kind since the [[Third Anglo-Afghan War]] in 1919, and was the bloodiest event preceding the Soviet–Afghan War.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/failings-of-inclusivity-the-herat-uprising-of-march-1979/|title=Failings of Inclusivity: The Herat uprising of March 1979 - Afghanistan Analysts Network|website=www.afghanistan-analysts.org|access-date=2015-07-27|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150802080317/https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/failings-of-inclusivity-the-herat-uprising-of-march-1979/|archive-date=2015-08-02|url-status=dead}}</ref>
[[File:Herat in June 2011-cropped.jpg|thumb|right|View of Herat, 2011]]
[[File:NATO and Afghan officials at Herat International Airport in 2012.jpg|thumb|right|Afghan and U.S. government officials along with members of the [[International Security Assistance Force]] (ISAF) at [[Herat International Airport]] in 2012.]]
Herat received damage during the Soviet–Afghan War in the 1980s, especially its western side. The province as a whole was one of the worst-hit. In April 1983, a series of Soviet bombings damaged half of the city and killed around 3,000 civilians, described as "extremely heavy, brutal and prolonged".<ref>''Afghanistan: The First Five Years of Soviet Occupation'', by J. Bruce Amstutz – Page 133 & 145</ref> Ismail Khan was the leading [[mujahideen]] commander in Herāt fighting against the Soviet-backed government.

After the communist government's collapse in 1992, Khan joined the [[Islamic State of Afghanistan|new government]] and he became governor of [[Herat Province]]. The city was relatively safe and it was recovering and rebuilding from the damage caused in the Soviet–Afghan War.<ref>''War, Exile and the Music of Afghanistan: The Ethnographer's Tale'' by John Baily</ref> However, on September 5, 1995, the city was captured by the [[Taliban]] without much resistance, forcing Khan to flee. Herat became the first Persian-speaking city to be captured by the Taliban. The Taliban's strict enforcement of laws confining women at home and closing girls' schools alienated Heratis who are traditionally more liberal and educated, like the Kabulis, than other urban populations in the country. Two days of anti-Taliban protests occurred in December 1996 which was violently dispersed and led to the imposition of a curfew.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/eoir/legacy/2014/01/16/Af_chronology_1995-.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-01-01 |archive-date=2017-10-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171012061437/https://www.justice.gov/sites/default/files/eoir/legacy/2014/01/16/Af_chronology_1995-.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> In May 1999, a rebellion in Herat was crushed by the Taliban, who blamed Iran for causing it.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=awljDgAAQBAJ&pg=PT81|title=Iran in Crisis?: Nuclear Ambitions and the American Response|isbn=9781848137110|last1=Howard|first1=Roger|date=4 July 2013|access-date=7 June 2020|archive-date=28 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210528204449/https://books.google.com/books?id=awljDgAAQBAJ&pg=PT81|url-status=live}}</ref>

After the [[United States invasion of Afghanistan|U.S. invasion of Afghanistan]], on November 12, 2001, it was captured from the Taliban by forces loyal to the [[Northern Alliance]] and Ismail Khan returned to power (see [[Battle of Herat]]). The state of the city was reportedly much better than that of Kabul.<ref name="rferl.org"/> In 2004, [[Mirwais Sadiq]], Aviation Minister of Afghanistan and the son of Ismail Khan, was ambushed and killed in Herāt by a local rival group. More than 200 people were arrested under suspicion of involvement.<ref>{{cite news|title=More arrests after Herat killing|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3567277.stm|work=BBC News|date=2004-03-25|location=London|access-date=2006-02-18|archive-date=2006-02-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060218165552/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3567277.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2005, the [[International Security Assistance Force]] (ISAF) began establishing bases in and around the city. Its main mission was to train the [[Afghan National Security Forces]] (ANSF) and help with the rebuilding process of the country. [[Train Advise Assist Command – West|Regional Command West]], led by Italy, assisted the [[Afghan National Army]] (ANA) [[207th Corps (Afghanistan)|207th Corps]]. Herat was one of the first seven areas that transitioned security responsibility from NATO to Afghanistan. In July 2011, the Afghan security forces assumed security responsibility from NATO.

Due to their close relations, Iran began investing in the development of Herat's power, economy and education sectors.<ref>Motlagh, Jason.[http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1900013,00.html?xid=rss-topstories-cnnpartner Iran's Spending Spree in Afghanistan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090527075726/http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1900013,00.html?xid=rss-topstories-cnnpartner |date=2009-05-27 }}. ''[[TIME (magazine)|Time]]''. Wednesday May 20, 2009. Retrieved on May 24, 2009.</ref> In the meantime, the United States built a [[consul (representative)|consulate]] in Herat to help further strengthen its [[Afghanistan – United States relations|relations with Afghanistan]]. In addition to the usual services, the consulate works with the local officials on development projects and with security issues in the region.<ref>[http://kabul.usembassy.gov/amb_speech121609.html "U.S. Ambassador Karl W. Eikenberry Remarks at the Lease-Signing Ceremony for U.S. Consulate Herat"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303204654/http://kabul.usembassy.gov/amb_speech121609.html |date=2016-03-03 }}</ref>

On 12 August 2021, the city was [[Fall of Herat|captured]] by the [[Taliban]] during the [[2021 Taliban offensive]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Varshalomidze |first1=Tamila |title=Taliban captures Herat city after taking Ghazni |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/12/afghanistan-taliban-kandahar-prison-police-ghazni-live-updates |website=Al Jazeera |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=12 August 2021 |ref=Herat, Afghanistan’s third-largest city, has fallen to the Taliban, residents and local journalists said, becoming the eleventh provincial capital to be captured by the armed group in recent days.}}</ref>

== Geography ==

=== Climate ===
Herat has a [[cold semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''BSk''). Precipitation is very low, and mostly falls in winter. Although Herāt is approximately {{convert|240|m|abbr=on}} lower than [[Kandahar]], the summer climate is more temperate, and the climate throughout the year is far from disagreeable, although winter temperatures are comparably lower. From May to September, the wind blows from the northwest with great force. The winter is tolerably mild; snow melts as it falls, and even on the mountains does not lie long. Three years out of four it does not freeze hard enough for the people to store ice. The eastern reaches of the Hari River, including the rapids, are frozen hard in the winter, and people travel on it as on a road.

{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Herāt
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 24.4
|Feb record high C = 27.6
|Mar record high C = 31.0
|Apr record high C = 37.8
|May record high C = 39.7
|Jun record high C = 44.6
|Jul record high C = 50.7
|Aug record high C = 42.7
|Sep record high C = 39.3
|Oct record high C = 37.0
|Nov record high C = 30.0
|Dec record high C = 26.5
|Jan high C = 9.1
|Feb high C = 11.9
|Mar high C = 17.9
|Apr high C = 24.0
|May high C = 29.6
|Jun high C = 35.0
|Jul high C = 36.7
|Aug high C = 35.1
|Sep high C = 31.4
|Oct high C = 25.0
|Nov high C = 17.8
|Dec high C = 12.0
|Jan mean C = 2.9
|Feb mean C = 5.5
|Mar mean C = 10.2
|Apr mean C = 16.3
|May mean C = 22.1
|Jun mean C = 27.2
|Jul mean C = 29.8
|Aug mean C = 28.0
|Sep mean C = 22.9
|Oct mean C = 16.1
|Nov mean C = 8.8
|Dec mean C = 4.7
|Jan low C = -2.9
|Feb low C = -0.6
|Mar low C = 3.8
|Apr low C = 9.1
|May low C = 13.3
|Jun low C = 18.2
|Jul low C = 21.2
|Aug low C = 19.2
|Sep low C = 13.2
|Oct low C = 7.4
|Nov low C = 1.0
|Dec low C = -1.4
|Jan record low C = −26.7
|Feb record low C = -20.5
|Mar record low C = −13.3
|Apr record low C = -2.3
|May record low C = 0.8
|Jun record low C = 9.7
|Jul record low C = 13.3
|Aug record low C = 8.4
|Sep record low C = 1.3
|Oct record low C = -5.6
|Nov record low C = −12.8
|Dec record low C = −22.7
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 51.6
|Feb precipitation mm = 44.8
|Mar precipitation mm = 55.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 29.2
|May precipitation mm = 9.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 0.0
|Jul precipitation mm = 0.0
|Aug precipitation mm = 0.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 0.0
|Oct precipitation mm = 1.7
|Nov precipitation mm = 10.9
|Dec precipitation mm = 35.8
|Jan sun = 149.3
|Feb sun = 153.5
|Mar sun = 202.5
|Apr sun = 235.7
|May sun = 329.6
|Jun sun = 362.6
|Jul sun = 378.6
|Aug sun = 344.8
|Sep sun = 323.2
|Oct sun = 274.0
|Nov sun = 235.0
|Dec sun = 143.1
|Jan rain days = 6
|Feb rain days = 8
|Mar rain days = 8
|Apr rain days = 7
|May rain days = 2
|Jun rain days = 0
|Jul rain days = 0
|Aug rain days = 0
|Sep rain days = 0
|Oct rain days = 1
|Nov rain days = 3
|Dec rain days = 5
|Jan snow days = 2
|Feb snow days = 2
|Mar snow days = 1
|Apr snow days = 0
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0
|Nov snow days = 0
|Dec snow days = 1
|Jan humidity = 72
|Feb humidity = 69
|Mar humidity = 62
|Apr humidity = 56
|May humidity = 45
|Jun humidity = 34
|Jul humidity = 30
|Aug humidity = 30
|Sep humidity = 34
|Oct humidity = 42
|Nov humidity = 55
|Dec humidity = 67
|source 1 = NOAA (1959–1983)<ref name= NOAA>{{cite web
|url = ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/AH/40938.TXT
|title = Herat Climate Normals 1959-1983
|publisher = [[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]
|access-date = December 25, 2012}}</ref>
|source 2 = Ogimet<ref>{{cite web
|url = https://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?lang=en&ind=40938&ano=2020&mes=7&day=20&hora=16&min=0&ndays=30
|title = 40938: Herat (Afghanistan) Synop Summary
|publisher = G. Ballester Vallor
|access-date = July 21, 2020
|archive-date = July 21, 2020
|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20200721211427/https://www.ogimet.com/cgi-bin/gsynres?lang=en&ind=40938&ano=2020&mes=7&day=20&hora=16&min=0&ndays=30
|url-status = live
}}</ref>
}}

===Places of interest===
*'''Foreign consulates'''
India, Iran and Pakistan operate their consulate here for trade, military and political links.

*'''Neighborhoods'''
**Shahr-e Naw (Downtown)
**[[Welayat]] (Office of the governor)
**Qol-Ordue (Army's HQ)
**Farqa (Army's HQ)
**Darwaze Khosh
**Chaharsu
**Pul-e Rangine
**Sufi-abad
**New-abad
**Pul-e malaan
**Thakhte Safar
**Howz-e-Karbas
**Baramaan
**Darwaze-ye Qandahar
**Darwaze-ye Iraq
**Darwaze Az Kordestan
[[File:Gawhar Shad bigum by ali mosavi sam.jpg|thumb|View of [[Gawhar Shad Mausoleum]]]]
[[File:Inside the Museum of Herat in 2011.jpg|thumb|Museum inside the [[Herat Citadel]], locally referred to as ''Qala Ikhtyaruddin'' or ''Arg''.]]
[[File:Herat University-2012.jpg|thumb|The Information Technology and Engineering Facility at [[Herat University]].]]
[[File:Section of Herat in 2009.jpg|thumb|Section of Herat]]
*'''Parks'''
**Park-e Taraki
**Park-e Millat
**Khane-ye Jihad Park
*'''Monuments'''
**[[Herat Citadel]] (Qala Ikhtyaruddin or Arg)
**[[Musalla Complex|Musallah Complex]]
**[[Musalla Minarets of Herat]]
Of the more than dozen minarets that once stood in Herāt, many have been toppled from war and neglect over the past century. Recently, however, everyday traffic threatens many of the remaining unique towers by shaking the very foundations they stand on. Cars and trucks that drive on a road encircling the ancient city rumble the ground every time they pass these historic structures. [[UNESCO]] personnel and Afghan authorities have been working to stabilize the Fifth Minaret.<ref name="Bendeich">{{cite news|author=Bendeich, Mark|title=Cars, Not War, Threaten Afghan Minarets|date=June 25, 2007|work=[[Islam Online]]|url=http://ww1.islamonline.net/servlet/Satellite?c=Article_C&cid=1182697507391&pagename=Zone-English-ArtCulture%2FACELayout|access-date=2009-09-24}}{{dead link|date=November 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name="Podelco">{{cite news|author=Podelco, Grant|title=Afghanistan: Race To Preserve Historic Minarets of Herat, Jam|date=July 18, 2005|work=[[Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty]]|url=http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1059997.html|access-date=2009-09-24|archive-date=2016-03-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304061059/http://www.rferl.org/content/article/1059997.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

*'''Museums'''
**Herat Museum, located inside the Herat Citadel
**[[Jihad Museum]]
*'''Mausoleums and tombs'''
**[[Gawhar Shad Mausoleum]]
**[[Khwaja 'Abd Allah Ansari shrine|Mausoleum of Khwajah Abdullah Ansari]]
**Tomb of [[Jami]]
**Tomb of khaje Qaltan
**Mausoleum of [[Mirwais Sadiq]]
**Jewish cemetery – there once existed an ancient Jewish community in the city. Its remnants are a cemetery and a ruined shrine.<ref>A good description of the sites, including former afgahani jews who lived there, and of some locals, could be seen at "Quest for the lost tribes", a film by [[Simcha Jacobovici]].</ref>
*'''Mosques'''
**[[Jumu'ah]] [[Mosque]] ([[Friday Mosque of Herat]])
**Gazargah Sharif
**Khalghe Sharif
**Shah Zahdahe
*'''Hotels'''
**[[Serena Hotel]] (coming soon)
**Diamond Hotel
**Marcopolo Hotel
*'''Stadiums'''
**Herat Stadium
*'''Universities'''
**[[Herat University]]

==Demography==
{{Further|Demography of Afghanistan}}
[[File:Afghan school girls in Herat.jpg|thumb|upright|School girls in Herat]]
The population of Herat numbered approximately 592,902 in 2021.<ref name=nsia/> The city houses a multi-ethnic society and speakers of the Persian language are in the majority.<ref name="nps">{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.edu/programs/ccs/Herat/Herat_Provincial_Overview_2.pdf|title=Welcome – Naval Postgraduate School|website=www.nps.edu|access-date=2009-09-07|archive-date=2011-06-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606125211/http://www.nps.edu/programs/ccs/Herat/Herat_Provincial_Overview_2.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> There is no current data on the precise ethnic composition of the city's population, but according to a 2003 map found in the [[National Geographic (magazine)|National Geographic Magazine]], [[Persian language|Persian-speaking]] [[Tajik people|Tajik]] and [[Farsiwan]] peoples form the majority of the city, comprising around 85% of the population. The remaining population comprises [[Pashtun people|Pashtuns]] (10%), [[Hazara people|Hazaras]] (2%), [[Uzbek people|Uzbeks]] (2%) and [[Turkmen people|Turkmens]] (1%).<ref name="ngm">{{cite web |url=http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0311/feature2/images/mp_download.2.pdf |title=2003 National Geographic Population Map |work=Thomas Gouttierre, Center For Afghanistan Studies, [[University of Nebraska]] at Omaha; Matthew S. Baker, Stratfor |publisher=[[National Geographic Society]] |year=2003 |access-date=2011-04-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912083622/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0311/feature2/images/mp_download.2.pdf |archive-date=2017-09-12 }}</ref>

[[Persian language|Persian]] is the native language of Herat and the local dialect – known by natives as ''Herātī'' – belongs to the ''Khorāsānī'' cluster within Persian. It is akin to the Persian dialects of eastern Iran, notably those of [[Mashhad]] and [[Khorasan Province]], which borders Herat. This Persian dialect serves as the [[lingua franca]] of the city. The second language that is understood by many is [[Pashto language|Pashto]], which is the native language of the Pashtuns. The local Pashto dialect spoken in Herat is a variant of [[Southern Pashto|western Pashto]], which is also spoken in [[Kandahar]] and southern and western Afghanistan. Religiously, [[Islam in Afghanistan|Sunni Islam]] is practiced by the majority, while [[Shia Islam in Afghanistan|Shias]] make up the minority.{{citation needed|date=September 2021}}

The city has high residential density clustered around the core of the city. However, vacant plots account for a higher percentage of the city (21%) than residential land use (18%) and agricultural is the largest percentage of total land use (36%).<ref name="SoAC-2">{{cite web |url=http://www.unhabitat.org/books/soac2015_volume2 |title=The State of Afghan Cities 2015, Volume 2 |access-date=2015-10-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031111658/http://unhabitat.org/books/soac2015_volume2/ |archive-date=2015-10-31 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The city once had a [[History of the Jews in Afghanistan|Jewish]] community. About 280 families lived in Herat as of 1948, but most of them moved to [[Israel]] that year, and the community disappeared by 1992. There are four former [[synagogue]]s in the city's old quarter, which were neglected for decades and fell into disrepair. In the late 2000s, the buildings of the synagogues were renovated by the [[Aga Khan Trust for culture]], and at this time, three of them were turned into schools and nurseries, the Jewish community having vanished. The Jewish cemetery is being taken care of by Jalil Ahmed Abdelaziz.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-synagogue/relics-of-old-afghanistan-reveal-jewish-past-idUSTRE55N01P20090624|title=Relics of old Afghanistan reveal Jewish past|date=24 June 2009|newspaper=Reuters|access-date=1 January 2018|archive-date=2 January 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180102013216/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-synagogue/relics-of-old-afghanistan-reveal-jewish-past-idUSTRE55N01P20090624|url-status=live}}</ref>

== Sports ==
;Professional sports teams from Herat
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Club
! scope="col" | League
! scope="col" | Sport
! scope="col" | Venue
! scope="col" | Established
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[Hindukush Stars]]
| [[Shpageeza Cricket League]]
| [[Cricket]]
| [[Herat Cricket Ground]]
| 2021
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[Toofan Harirod F.C.]]
| [[Afghan Premier League]]
| [[Association football|Football]]
| [[Herat Stadium]]
| 2012
|}

* '''Stadiums'''
** Herat Cricket Ground
** Herat Stadium

==Notable people from Herat==

=== Rulers and emperors ===

* [[Tahir ibn Husayn]] 9th century [[Abbasid Caliphate]] army general, and the founder of [[Tahirid dynasty]]
* [[Ghiyath al-Din Muhammad|Ghiyasuddin Muhammad]], was the emperor of the Ghurid dynasty from 1163 to 1202. During his reign, the [[Ghurid dynasty]] became a world power, which stretched from [[Gorgan]] to [[Bengal]]
* [[Shah Rukh (Timurid dynasty)|Mīrzā Shāhrūkh bin Tīmur Barlas]], Emperor of the [[Timurid dynasty]] of Herāt
* [[Abu Sa'id Mirza]], ruler of the [[Timurid Empire]] during the mid-fifteenth century
* [[Husayn Bayqarah|Mīrzā Husseyn Bāyqarāh]], Emperor of the Timurid dynasty of Herāt
* [[Abbas I of Persia|Shāh Abbās ''The Great'']], Emperor of [[Safavids|Safavid Persia]]
* [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]], founder of the [[Durrani Empire]]
* [[Dost Mohammad Khan|Emir Dost Mohammad Khan]], founder of the [[Barakzai dynasty]], buried in the city
* [[Sultan Jan]], ruler of Herat in the 19th century

=== Politicians ===

* [[Ahmad Maymandi]] 11th century [[Persian language|Persian]] [[vizier]] of the [[Ghaznavids|Ghaznavid empire]]
* [[Ismail Khan]], former [[List of governors of Herat|governor of Herat Province]] and [[Ministry of Water and Energy (Afghanistan)|Minister of Water and Energy]]
* [[Amina Afzali|Amena Afzali]], politician
* [[Faramarz Tamanna]], politician

=== Poets ===

* [[Asjadi]], 10th-11th century royal [[Persian language|Persian]] poet at the court of the [[Ghaznavids]]
* [[Khwaja Abdullah Ansari|Khwājah Abdullāh al-Herawi al-Ansārī]], a [[Persian language|Persian]] poet of the 11th century
*[[Pur-Baha Jami]], 13th century [[Iranian peoples|Iranian]] poet, [[Pun]] master, satirist, and often scathing [[social commentator]], born in [[Minaret of Jam|Jam]], spent his youth in Herat
* [[Jami|Nūr ud-Dīn Jāmī]], a [[Persian language|Persian]] [[Sufi]] poet of the 15th century
* [[Mir Ali Shir Nava'i|Nizām ud-Din ʿAlī Shīr Herawi]], famous poet and scientist of the [[Timurid dynasty|Timurid]] era
* [[Hatefi]], a [[Persian language|Persian]] poet of the 16th century and nephew of [[Jami|Nūr ud-Dīn Jāmī]]
* [[Latif Nazemi]], [[Persian language|Persian]] poet

=== Scientists ===

* [[Muvaffak|Abu Mansur Muvaffak Harawi]], 10th-century [[Persian people|Persian]] [[physician]]
* [[Abolfadl Harawi]], 10th-century [[astronomer]] under the patroange of the [[Buyid dynasty|Buyids]] in [[Ray, Iran|Rey]], originally from Herat
*[[Ahmad ibn Farrokh]], 12th-century Persian [[physician]]
* [[Taftazani]], a Muslim [[polymath]] of the 14th century
* [[Muhammad ibn Yusuf al-Harawi]] 15th century [[Persian language|Persian]] [[physician]]
* [[Nimat Allah al-Harawi]] 17th century [[Persian language|Persian]] chronicler at the court of the [[Mughal Emperor]] [[Jahangir]]

=== Religious figures ===

* [[Fakhr ad-Din ar-Razi|Fakhr ad-Din al-Razi]], [[polymath]] and [[Islamic scholar]] of the 12th-century
* [[Hussain Kashefi]], a 15th-century Persian prose-stylist and [[Islamic scholar]] and scientist
* [[Ali al-Qari|Ali al-Hirawi al-Qari]], from 17th century, considered to be one of the masters of [[hadith]] and Imams of [[fiqh]]
* [[Mujib Rahman Ansari]] (1982–2022), [[mullah]] and pro-[[Taliban]] cleric

=== Artists ===

* [[Ali ibn Abi Bakr al-Harawi]] 12th and 13th century [[Persian language|Persian]] traveller and first known [[graffiti]] artist in the [[Muslim]] world, originally from Herat
* [[Kamāl ud-Dīn Behzād|Ustād Kamāl ud-Dīn Behzād]], the greatest of the medieval [[Persian miniature|Persian painters]]
* [[Mir Ali Heravi]], prominent [[Persian people|Persian]] calligrapher and [[calligraphy]] teacher of [[Nastaʿlīq]] script in the 16th century
* [[Alka Sadat]], Film producer was born here<ref>[http://www.womensvoicesnow.org/interview-with-alka-sadat Alka Sadat] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160625122536/http://www.womensvoicesnow.org/interview-with-alka-sadat|date=2016-06-25}}, womensvoicesnow.org, Retrieved 7 June 2016</ref>
* [[Sonita Alizadeh]], [[rapper]] and activist

=== Sports ===

* [[Nadia Nadim]], Afghan-Danish [[Association football|football player]], most influential and greatest [[Afghans|Afghan]] female football player of all time, won the French league title in the [[2020–21 Division 1 Féminine|2020-21]] season with [[Paris Saint-Germain Féminine|Paris Saint-Germain]]
* [[Hamidullah Karimi]], [[Afghans|Afghan]] footballer, plays as a forward for Indian club [[Delhi United FC]]
*[[Mohammad Rafi Barekzay]], [[Afghanistan|Afghan]] footballer, plays as a [[midfielder]] for [[Toofaan Harirod F.C.|Toofaan Harirod F.C]]

=== Others ===

* [[Gowhar Shad]], wife of [[Shah Rukh|Shāh Rūkh Mīrzā]]
* [[Zablon Simintov]], last remaining [[Jews|Jew]] living in Afghanistan

== Economy and infrastructure ==

===Transport===

====Air====
{{Main|Herat International Airport}}
[[File:Herat International Airport in February 2012.jpg|thumb|[[Herat International Airport]]]]
[[Herat International Airport]] was built by engineers from the United States in the 1960s and was used by the [[Soviet Armed Forces]] during the [[Soviet–Afghan War]] in the 1980s. It was bombed in late 2001 during [[Operation Enduring Freedom]] but had been rebuilt within the next decade. The runway of the airport has been extended and upgraded and as of August 2014 there were regularly scheduled direct flights to [[Indira Gandhi International Airport|Delhi]], [[Dubai International Airport|Dubai]], [[Mashhad International Airport|Mashad]], and various airports in Afghanistan. At least five airlines operated regularly scheduled direct flights to [[Kabul International Airport|Kabul]].

====Rail====
{{Further|Rail transport in Afghanistan}}
[[Rail transport|Rail]] connections to and from Herat were proposed many times, during ''[[The Great Game]]'' of the 19th century and again in the 1970s and 1980s, but nothing came to life. In February 2002, Iran and the [[Asian Development Bank]]<ref>Khaf-Herat railway, http://www.raillynews.com/2013/khaf-herat-railway/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171220114246/http://www.raillynews.com/2013/khaf-herat-railway/ |date=2017-12-20 }}</ref><ref>afghanistan railways, 2014, http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/railways/iran-to-herat/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029024246/http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/railways/iran-to-herat/ |date=2014-10-29 }}</ref> announced funding for a railway connecting [[Torbat-e Heydarieh]] in Iran to Herat. This was later changed to begin in [[Khaf, Iran|Khaf]] in Iran, a {{convert|191|km|mi|abbr=on}} railway for both cargo and passengers, with work on the Iranian side of the border starting in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/railways/iran-to-herat/|title=Iran to Herat railway – Railways of Afghanistan|website=www.andrewgrantham.co.uk|access-date=2014-06-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141029024246/http://www.andrewgrantham.co.uk/afghanistan/railways/iran-to-herat/|archive-date=2014-10-29|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>[http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view//opening-up-afghan-trade-route-to-iran.html Opening up Afghan trade route to Iran] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160101032057/http://www.railwaygazette.com/news/single-view/view/opening-up-afghan-trade-route-to-iran.html |date=2016-01-01 }} [[Railway Gazette International]] 2008-01-29</ref> Construction is underway in the Afghan side and it was estimated to be completed by March 2018.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://financialtribune.com/articles/economy-domestic-economy/60378/rail-linkup-with-afghanistan-by-march-2018|title=Rail Linkup With Afghanistan by March 2018|date=25 February 2017|access-date=1 January 2018|archive-date=22 September 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922112855/https://financialtribune.com/articles/economy-domestic-economy/60378/rail-linkup-with-afghanistan-by-march-2018|url-status=live}}</ref> There is also the prospect of an extension across Afghanistan to [[Sher Khan Bandar]].

====Road====
The [[AH76]] highway connects Herat to [[Maymana]] and the north. The [[AH77]] connects it east towards [[Chaghcharan]] and north towards [[Mary, Turkmenistan|Mary]] in Turkmenistan. [[Highway 1]] (part of Asian highway [[AH1]]) links it to [[Mashhad]] in Iran to the northwest, and south via the [[Kandahar–Herat Highway]] to [[Delaram]].

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center" caption="Notable places in Herāt">
File:CH-NB - Afghanistan, Herat- Schrein von Gazar Gah - Annemarie Schwarzenbach - SLA-Schwarzenbach-A-5-19-193.jpg|Outside the [[Shrine of Khwaja Abd Allah|Shrine of Gazar Gah]], c. 1939
File:US consulate in Herat.jpg|[[List of diplomatic missions of the United States|U.S. Consulate in Herat]]
File:Mausoleum of Mirwais Sadiq Khan in 2009.jpg|Mausoleum of [[Mirwais Sadiq|Mirwais Sadiq Khan]], son of [[Ismail Khan]], who was killed in 2004 in clashes with the [[Afghan National Army]]
File:Development Bank of Afghanistan.JPG|Shopping center
File:PoleMalanHerat.jpg|[[Pol-e Mālān]], a historical bridge
File:Herat 6918a.jpg|Pillar of [[Musalla Complex|Musallah Complex]]
File:Herat Ansari tomb.jpg|[[Khwaja 'Abd Allah Ansari shrine|Khwājah Abdullāh Ansārī shrine]], a [[Sufi]] of the 11th century
File:Gazar Gah cemetery 1.jpg|[[Gazar Gah]] cemetery
File:Jami Tomb.JPG|Tomb of [[Jāmi]], a poet of the 15th century
File:Herat Jews Cemetery.jpg|The [[History of the Jews in Afghanistan|Jewish]] cemetery
File:View of Herat in 2009.jpg|View of Herat from a hill
</gallery>

==Herat in fiction==
*The beginning of [[Khaled Hosseini]]'s 2007 novel ''[[A Thousand Splendid Suns]]'' is set in and around Herāt.
*[[Salman Rushdie]]'s novel ''[[The Enchantress of Florence]]'' makes frequent reference to events in Herāt in the Middle Ages.

==Sister cities==
*{{flagicon|USA}} [[Council Bluffs, Iowa]], United States (since 2016)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.omaha.com/columnists/grace/grace-afghans-arrive-to-embrace-sister-city-bluffs-and-to/article_87cf8038-b7b2-5fea-93c4-007080f31f16.html|title=Grace: Afghans arrive to embrace sister city Bluffs and to share their passion and hope|first=Erin Grace / World-Herald|last=columnist|access-date=2018-01-22|archive-date=2018-07-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180721191916/https://www.omaha.com/columnists/grace/grace-afghans-arrive-to-embrace-sister-city-bluffs-and-to/article_87cf8038-b7b2-5fea-93c4-007080f31f16.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

*{{flagicon|IRN}} [[Divandarreh|Divandarreh, Kurdistan]], Iran (since 2021)

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*[[Aria (satrapy)]]
*[[Geography of Afghanistan]]
*[[Greater Khorasan]]
*[[Herāt Province]]
*[[History of Afghanistan]]
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{Reflist|20em}}

== Sources ==
* {{EI2|last=Frye|first=R.N.|volume=3|title=Harāt|pages=177–178|url=https://referenceworks.brillonline.com/entries/encyclopaedia-of-islam-2/harat-SIM_2716}}
* {{Encyclopaedia Iranica | volume=12 | fascicle=2 | title = Herat ii. History, pre-Islamic period | last = Vogelsang | first = W. J. | url = https://iranicaonline.org/articles/herat-ii | pages = 205–206 }}

==Attribution==
{{EB1911|wstitle=Herat|volume=13|pages=330–332}}

==Bibliography==
{{main|Timeline of Herat#Bibliography}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Herat}}
{{wikivoyage|Herat}}
*{{YouTube|Aa_J_7bms6M|Special report from the new complex in Herat - پالادیوم سنتر -گزارش ویژه از مجتمع جدید در هرات}}
*{{YouTube|KfGbcav4W1Q|Different and interesting Bazaars Herat Province Afghanistan 4 May 2022}}
*{{YouTube|hJUXuO9ygoY|Walking in Herat City}}
*{{YouTube|AvxEUU3QLyM|بام هرات افغانستان 2019 Full HD BAAME HERAT}}
*{{YouTube|EYPPIMqha3s|برویم باهم پارک ترقي هرات قدم زدن Sep/2018 Walking through Park Taraghi of Herat Afghnistan}}
*{{YouTube|TO1dsY148sM|شهر هرات افغانستان 09.06.2018}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120405004223/http://www.aims.org.af/maps/urban/hirat.pdf Detailed map of Herāt city]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20090508193538/http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/herat_afghanistan1942.jpg Map of Herāt and surroundings in 1942], [[Perry–Castañeda Library Map Collection]], [[University of Texas at Austin]]

{{S-start}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Samarkand]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=Capital of [[Timurid dynasty]]|years=1505–1507}}
{{s-aft|after=-}}
{{S-end}}

{{AfghanistanLargestCities}}
{{Herat Province}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Iranian Architecture}}

[[Category:Herat| ]]
[[Category:Cities in Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Cities in Central Asia]]
[[Category:Populated places along the Silk Road]]
[[Category:Populated places in Herat Province]]
[[Category:Provincial capitals in Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Cities founded by Alexander the Great]]

Parwan Province

2022-10-30T18:09:21Z

VoiceOfPeace6:

{{Short description|Province of Afghanistan}}
{{Redirect|Parwan|the locality in Australia|Parwan, Victoria}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Parwan
| native_name = {{nq|پروان}}
| native_name_lang = prs
| settlement_type = [[Provinces of Afghanistan|Province]]
| image_skyline = Snow covered mountains outside of Salang tunnel in Afghanistan.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = The [[Salang Pass]] during winter
| image_flag =
| flag_alt =
| image_seal =
| seal_alt =
| image_shield =
| shield_alt =
| nickname =
| motto =
| image_map = Parwan in Afghanistan.svg
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Map of Afghanistan with Parwan highlighted
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|35.0|69.0|region:AF-PAR_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint = Capital
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Afghanistan}}
| established_title =
| established_date =
| founder =
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Charikar]]
| government_footnotes =
| leader_party =
| leader_title = [[List of governors of Parwan|Governor]]
| leader_name = Mullah [[Mohammad Farid Omar]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bakhtarnews.af/ps/د-پروان-د-استخباراتو-نوي-رييس-په-کار-پيل/|title=د پروان د استخباراتو نوي رييس په کار پيل وکړ|date=November 4, 2021|website=باختر خبری آژانس}}</ref>
| leader_title1 = Deputy Governor
| leader_name1 = Maulvi Dost Mohammad Haqqani<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bakhtarnews.af/dr/نشست-محاکم-پروان-برگزار-شد/|title=نشست محاکم پروان برگزار شد|date=August 31, 2021|website=آژانس خبری باختر}}</ref>
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 5974
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| area_note =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_footnotes = <ref name=nsia/>
| population_total = 751040
| population_as_of = 2021
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_note =
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Languages of Afghanistan|Main languages]]
| blank_info_sec1 = [[Dari]]<ref name=demography>{{cite web |url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/249/Parwan%20Provincial%20Profile.pdf |title=Parwan Provincial profile |work=[[United Nations]] |publisher=Afghanistan's [[Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development]] |quote=Persian and Pashto are the main languages spoken in the province; however Persian speakers outnumber Pashto speakers by a ratio of 5 to 2. |accessdate=2015-06-01 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150601175600/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/249/Parwan%20Provincial%20Profile.pdf |archivedate=June 1, 2015 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>
| timezone1 = Afghanistan Time
| utc_offset1 = +4:30
| timezone1_DST =
| utc_offset1_DST =
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| area_code_type =
| area_code =
| iso_code = AF-PAR
| website =
| footnotes =
| official_name =
}}

'''Parwan''' ([[Dari]]: {{nq|پروان}}), also spelled '''Parvan''', is one of the 34 [[provinces of Afghanistan]]. It has a population of about 751,000.<ref name=nsia/> The province is multi-ethnic and mostly a rural society. The province is divided into ten [[Districts of Afghanistan|districts]]. The town of [[Charikar]] serves as the provincial capital. The province is located north of [[Kabul Province]] and south of [[Baghlan Province]], west of [[Panjshir Province]] and [[Kapisa Province]], and east of [[Maidan Wardak Province]] and [[Bamyan Province]]. The province famous tourism attraction is the Golghondi Hill, also known as “the flower hill,” is located in Charikar city of the ancient Parwan province about an hour away from the capital city of Kabul.[https://www.fodors.com/news/trip-ideas/i-didnt-expect-to-find-this-in-afghanistan] After Panjshir this province has been considered as one of the main raising points of Afghanistan War against Soviets.

The name Parwan is also attributed to a town, the exact location of which is now unknown, that supposedly existed during prehistory, in the nearby [[Hindu Kush]] mountains.<ref name="EI">[[Richard Nelson Frye|Frye, Richard Nelson]] (1999). "Farran (also Parwan)". ''[[Encyclopaedia of Islam]]'' CD-ROM Edition v. 1.0. Leiden, The Netherlands: Koninklijke Brill NV. Retrieved on December 18, 2007.</ref>

Despite a four-decade-long state of [[War in Afghanistan (1978–present)|war in Afghanistan]], Parwan was relatively free of conflict by the mid-2010s. While occasional attacks on government or international forces were reported, they were usually minor.{{citation needed|date=May 2016}} Such incidents in Parwan mostly involved grenade attacks on the residences of government officials or roadside bombs.<ref name="ISW">{{cite web |url=http://www.understandingwar.org/region/regional-command-east#Parwan |title=Regional Command East: Parwan Province |publisher=Institute for the Study of War |accessdate=2013-06-16}}</ref> [[Bagram Airfield|Bagram Air Base]], which was one of the largest US military bases in Afghanistan, is located in Parwan.

==History==
{{History of Afghanistan}}
{{Further|History of Afghanistan}}
In 329 BC, [[Alexander the Great]] founded the settlement of Parwan as his [[Alexandria of the Caucasus]]. It was [[Islamic conquest of Afghanistan|conquered by Arab Muslims]] in 792 AD.<ref name="EI" /> In 1221, the province was the site of the battle between the invading [[Mongol Empire|Mongols]], led by [[Genghis Khan]], and the [[Khwarezmian Empire]] led by [[Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu]], where the Mongols were defeated.<ref name="EI" /> The famous [[Morocco|Moroccan]] traveler and scholar, [[Ibn Battuta]], visiting the area in 1333 write:{{Blockquote|We halted next at a place called Banj Hir ([[Panjshir Valley|Panjshir]]), which means "Five Mountains," where there was once a fine and populous city built on a great river with blue water like the sea. This country was devastated by [[Genghis Khan|Tinkiz]], the king of the [[Tatars]], and has not been inhabited since. We came to a mountain called Pashay, where there is a convent of the Shaykh Ata Awliya, which means "Father of the Saints." He is also called Sisad Salah, which is the Persian for "three hundred years," because they say that he is three hundred and fifty years old. They have a very high opinion of him and come to visit him from the towns and villages, and sultans and princesses visit him too. He received us with honor and made us his guests. We encamped by a river near his convent and went to see him, and when I saluted him he embraced me. His skin is fresh and smoother than any I have seen; anyone seeing him would take him to be fifty years old. He told me that he grew new hair and teeth every hundred years. I had some doubts about him, however, and God knows how much truth there is in what he says. We traveled thence to Parwan, where I met the amir Buruntayh. He treated me well and wrote to his representatives at [[Ghazni Province|Ghazna]] enjoining them to show me honor. We went on to the village of Charkh [Charikar], it being now summer, and from there to the town of Ghazna. This is the town of the famous warrior-sultan [[Mahmud of Ghazni|Mahmud ibn Sabuktagin]], one of the greatest of rulers, who made frequent raids into [[Hindustan|India]] and captured cities and fortresses there.<ref>{{Cite book|title=Travels in Asia and Africa, 1325-1354|last1=Ibn Battuta|authorlink=|volume=|edition=reprint, illustrated |year=2004|publisher=Routledge|location=|isbn=0-415-34473-5|page=179|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zKqn_CWTxYEC&pg=PA179 |accessdate=2010-09-10}}</ref>|[[Ibn Battuta]]|1304–1369}}

The area was subsequently ruled by the [[Timurids]] and [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]] until [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] made it part of the [[Durrani Empire]] in 1747. In 1840, Parwan was the site of a major battle in the [[First Anglo-Afghan War]] where the invading [[Company rule in India|British]] were defeated.<ref name="EI" /> Parwan's modern history began with the construction of a new textile factory in the town of [[Jabal Saraj]] in 1937.<ref name="EI" /> Parwan was involved in the [[Soviet–Afghan War]] as some of the fiercest fightings took place in the area.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=[[The Columbia Encyclopedia]]|title=Charikar|url=http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Charikar.html|accessdate=December 19, 2007 |edition=Sixth|year=2007|publisher=Columbia University Press}}</ref> In the 1990s it was the site of heavy resistance against the [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)|Taliban]].

===Recent history===
[[File: KECC in Parwan.jpg|thumb|upright|Computer class at the Korean Education and Cultural Center in Parwan.]]
Since the removal of the Taliban in late 2001, the [[United States Armed Forces]] took control of [[Bagram Airfield|Bagram Air Base]] and began using it as one of their main bases in Afghanistan. A [[Provincial Reconstruction Team]] (PRT) led by [[South Korea]] helped the locals with development activities in the province until 2014.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2922615|title=Rocket attack on Korean compound in Parwan|newspaper=[[Joongang Daily]]|last=Ha-won|first=Jung|date=July 2, 2010|accessdate=2013-06-16}}</ref> In mid-February 2011, five [[rocket-propelled grenade]]s hit the newly built South Korean military base housing the provincial reconstruction team and civilian aid workers. No one was injured in the attack, but it came hours after a visit by South Korean Defense Minister [[Kim Kwan-jin]], raising suspicions of [[Taliban]] involvement. The opening ceremony of the base was postponed indefinitely.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2932108|title=Taliban strike on Koreans confirmed|newspaper=Joongang Daily|last=Moon|first=Gwang-lip|date=December 2, 2011|accessdate=November 2, 2011}}</ref>

A plan to build a power plant in the province is under consideration. A large portion of Parwan's economy relies on remittances from the [[Afghan diaspora]] living abroad.

In July 2012, the Taliban executed a married woman in front of a large crowd after she was found guilty of adultery.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48105731/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/|title=Video: Afghan Taliban publicly execute woman - World news - South and Central Asia - Afghanistan - msnbc.com|date=July 8, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120708111000/http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/48105731/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/|archive-date=July 8, 2012}}</ref> It was reported that the woman had a secret affair with a married military commander of the [[Afghan National Army]]. In August 2021, Parwan was captured by the [[Taliban]] during their [[2021 Taliban offensive|offensive]].

==Healthcare==
{{Further|Health in Afghanistan}}
The percentage of households with clean drinking water fell from 32% in 2005 to 11% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org">{{cite web |url=https://www.cimicweb.org/AfghanistanProvincialMap/Pages/Parwan.aspx |title=Parwan Province |accessdate=2014-05-30 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531105042/https://www.cimicweb.org/AfghanistanProvincialMap/Pages/Parwan.aspx |archivedate=May 31, 2014 |df=mdy-all |website=CimicWeb }}</ref> The percentage of births attended to by a skilled birth attendant increased from 4% in 2005 to 7% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org"/>

==Education==
{{Further|Education in Afghanistan}}
The overall literacy rate (6+ years of age) fell from 37% in 2005 to 28% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org"/>
The overall net enrolment rate (6–13 years of age) increased from 42% in 2005 to 54% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org"/>

==Demographics and geography==
{{Further|Demography of Afghanistan}}
[[File:Parvan districts.png|thumb|Districts of Parwan province]]

As of 2020, the total population of the province is about 751,000,<ref name=nsia>{{cite web |url=https://www.nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Estimated-Population-of-Afghanistan1-1400.pdf |title=Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2021-22 |author= |date=April 2021 |website= |publisher=National Statistic and Information Authority (NSIA)|archive-date=June 29, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204559/https://www.nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Estimated-Population-of-Afghanistan1-1400.pdf|url-status=live |access-date=June 21, 2021 |quote=}}</ref> which is multi-ethnic and mostly a rural society. 8 percent of the population lived below the national [[poverty line]], the second lowest figure in Afghanistan behind only [[Logar Province]].<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nynR_73lsuYC&pg=PA255|title=Decoding the New Taliban: Insights from the Afghan Field|first=Antonio|last=Giustozzi|date=August 29, 2012|publisher=C. Hurst (Publishers) Limited|isbn=9781849042260|via=Google Books}}</ref>

According to the [[Naval Postgraduate School]], the ethnic groups of the province are as follows: [[Tajiks]], [[Hazaras]], [[Uzbeks]], [[Pashtuns]], [[Kuchi people|Kuchis]] and other minority groups.<ref name="nps">{{cite web |url=http://www.nps.edu/programs/ccs/Parwan.html |title=Parwan Province |work=Program for Culture & Conflict Studies|publisher=[[Naval Postgraduate School]] |accessdate=2013-06-16 |quote=The population of approximately 560,000 is composed of Pashtun, Tajik, Uzbek, Qizilbash, Kuchi, Hazara, Turkmen and other minority groups.}}</ref>
According to Afghanistan's [[Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development]]:{{blockquote|Around three quarters (73%) of the population of Parwan lives in rural districts, while one quarter (27%) lives in urban areas, Around 50% of the population is male and 50% is female. [[Persian language|Persian]] ([[Dari]] dialect) and [[Pashto language|Pashto]] are the main languages spoken in the province; however Persian speakers outnumber Pashto speakers by a ratio of 5 to 2.<ref name=demography/> Parwan province also has a population of [[Kuchi people|Kuchis]] or nomads whose numbers vary in different seasons. In winter 30,290 Kuchi live in Parwan province, of which 66% are short-range migratory and the remaining 34% are long-range migratory. During the summer, Kuchi migrate to Parwan province from Laghman, Kapisa, Baghlan and to a lesser extent from Kabul, Nangarhar and Kunar. The Kuchi population in the summer is 121,517 individuals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/Provincial%20Profiles/Parwan%20PDP%20Provincial%20profile.pdf |title=Parwan Province: B. Demography and Population |work=[[United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan]] and Afghanistan Statistical Yearbook 2006, Central Statistics Office |publisher=Afghanistan's [[Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development]] |accessdate=December 6, 2011}}</ref>}}

=== Districts ===
As per the figures below based on the ethnographics of each district as well as the density and therefore the inhabitability of each district, the province has a population of approximately 878,192 and is approximately 90% [[Tajiks|Tajik]], 7% [[Pashtun]] (mostly [[Safi (Pashtun tribe)|Safi]] ([[Kohi Safi]], [[Jabal Saraj]], [[Sayed Khel District|Sayed Khel]] and [[Bagram]]), [[Niazi]] ([[Bagram]] and [[Charikar]]), [[Kharoti]] ([[Bagram]]) and [[Shinwari (Pashtun tribe)|Shinwari]] tribes ([[Shinwari (Pashtun tribe)|Shinwari]] and [[Ghorband]]) and 3% [[Hazaras|Hazara]] ([[Surkhi Parsa District|Surkhi Parsa]] and [[Sheikh Ali District|Sheikh Ali]]).
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Districts of Parwan Province
|-
!District
!Capital
!Population (2022)<ref name=nsia/>
!Ethnicity<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.fao.org/afghanistan/en/|title=FAO in Afghanistan | Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations|website=www.fao.org}}</ref>
|-
|[[Bagram District|Bagram]] || || 69,659 || 80% [[Tajiks|Tajik]] and 20% [[Pashtun]]
|-
|[[Charikar]] (capital) || || 336,695|| [[Tajiks|Tajik]]
|-
|[[Ghorband District|Ghorband]] || || 54,110 || 75% [[Tajiks|Tajik]] and 25% [[Pashtun]]
|-
|[[Jabal Saraj District|Jabal Saraj]] || || 151,705 || [[Tajiks|Tajik]]
|-
|[[Kohi Safi District|Kohi Safi]] || || 19,895 || [[Pashtun]]s
|-
|[[Salang District|Salang]] || || 49,095 || [[Tajiks|Tajik]]
|-
|[[Sayed Khel District|Sayed Khel]] || || 127,296 || [[Tajiks|Tajik]]

|-
|[[Shekh Ali District|Shekh Ali]] || || 16,667
|| [[Hazaras|Hazara]]
|-
|[[Shinwari District|Shinwari]] || || 28,512 || 52% [[Pashtun]] and 48% [[Tajiks|Tajik]]
|-
|[[Surkhi Parsa District|Surkhi Parsa]] || || 24,557|| 70% [[Tajiks]] and 30% [[Hazaras|Hazara]]
|}

=== Notable towns and villages ===
*[[Gulbahar, Afghanistan]]

== Gallery ==
<gallery class="center" caption="Images of Parwan Province">
File:CH-NB - Afghanistan, Shibar Pass (Shebar Pass, Kowtal-e Shebar)- Landschaft - Annemarie Schwarzenbach - SLA-Schwarzenbach-A-5-20-220.jpg|Near the [[Shibar Pass]] that connects Parwan to Bamyan.
File:Road in Parwan-11.jpg|A road in the Parwan Province, near the Sayed Bridge which is located short distance north from [[Bagram Airfield|Bagram Air Base]].
File:Near Sayed Bridge in Parwan-4.jpg|Fields near the Sayed Bridge
File:Flickr - boellstiftung - Parwan.jpg|School girls in a rural area of Parwan
File:Afghan boys and police in 2010.jpg|A member of the [[Afghan National Police]] trying to control local children awaiting the distribution of goods from the U.S. military for the winter months.
File:Afghan women in Parwan province.jpg|Afghan women working inside a factory in Parwan
</gallery>

== See also ==
*[[Provinces of Afghanistan]]
*[[Battle of Parwan]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Parwan Province}}
* {{YouTube|ATaduXrEy3M|Homayoun Afghan Special Report on the Tour of the Arghavan National Festival - Part II}}, April 16, 2019, [[Ariana Television Network]].
* [http://www.nps.edu/programs/ccs/Parwan.html Parwan Province] by the [[Naval Postgraduate School]]
* [http://www.understandingwar.org/region/regional-command-east#Parwan Parwan Province] by the [[Institute for the Study of War]]

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Parwan Province
|North = [[Baghlan Province]]
|Northeast = [[Panjshir Province]]
|East = [[Kapisa Province]]
|Southeast = [[Kabul Province]]
|South =
|Southwest = [[Wardak Province]]
|West = [[Bamyan Province]]
|Northwest =
}}

{{Provinces of Afghanistan}}
{{Parwan Province}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Parwan Province| ]]
[[Category:Hazarajat]]
[[Category:Provinces of Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Provinces of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan]]

Helmand Province

2022-10-30T18:08:13Z

VoiceOfPeace6:

{{short description|Province of Afghanistan}}
{{redirect|Helmand|the river|Helmand River}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Helmand
| native_name = {{nq|هلمند}}
| native_name_lang = ps
| settlement_type = [[Provinces of Afghanistan|Province]]
| image_skyline = Aerial photograph of Kandahar Province in 2011.jpg
| image_alt =
| image_caption = Helmand River and the town of [[Grishk]]
| image_flag =
| flag_alt =
| image_seal =
| seal_alt =
| image_shield =
| shield_alt =
| nickname =
| motto =
| image_map = Helmand in Afghanistan.svg
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Map of Afghanistan with Helmand highlighted
| pushpin_map =
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_label_position =
| pushpin_map_alt =
| pushpin_map_caption =
| coordinates = {{coord|31.0|64.0|region:AF_type:adm1st|display=inline,title}}
| coor_pinpoint = Capital
| coordinates_footnotes =
| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{flag|Afghanistan}}
| established_title =
| established_date =
| founder =
| seat_type = Capital
| seat = [[Lashkargah]]
| government_footnotes =
| leader_party =
| leader_title = Governor
| leader_name = Maulvi [[Abdul Ahad Talib]]
| leader_title1 = Deputy Governor
| leader_name1 = Mulavi Hizbullah<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://pajhwok.com/ps/2021/12/23/four-addicts-from-helmand-prison-were-sent-home-after-treatment/|title = د هلمند له زندانه ۲۱۸ روږدي له درملنې وروسته کورونو ته ولېږل شول|date = 23 December 2021|last1 = بلال|first1 = رضوان الله}}</ref>
| unit_pref = Metric
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 58584
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| area_note =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| population_footnotes = <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Estimated-Population-of-Afghanistan1-1400.pdf |title=Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2021-22 |date=April 2021 |website=nsia.gov.af |publisher=National Statistic and Information Authority (NSIA) |access-date=June 29, 2021 |archive-date=June 24, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204559/https://www.nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Estimated-Population-of-Afghanistan1-1400.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>
| population_total = 1,472,162
| population_as_of = 2021
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_demonym =
| population_note =
| blank_name_sec1 = [[Languages of Afghanistan|Main languages]]
| blank_info_sec1 = [[Pashto language|Pashto]] [[Dari language|Dari]]
| timezone1 = Afghanistan Time
| utc_offset1 = +4:30
| timezone1_DST =
| utc_offset1_DST =
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| area_code_type =
| area_code =
| iso_code = AF-HEL
| website =
| footnotes =
}}

'''Helmand''' ([[Pashto language|Pashto]]/[[Dari language|Dari]]: {{nq|هلمند}}; {{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|ɛ|l|m|ə|n|d}} {{respell|HEL|mənd}}<ref>{{Cite Dictionary.com|Helmand}}</ref>), also known as '''Hillmand''', in ancient times, as '''Hermand''' and '''Hethumand''',<ref name=mrrd/> is one of the 34 [[provinces of Afghanistan]], in the south of the country. It is the largest province by area, covering {{convert|58,584|km2|sqmi|sigfig=1}} area. The province contains 13 [[Districts of Afghanistan|districts]], encompassing over 1,000 villages, and roughly 1,446,230 settled people.<ref name=nsia/> [[Lashkargah]] serves as the provincial capital. Helmand was part of the ''[[Loy Kandahar|Greater Kandahar]]'' region until made into a separate province by the [[Politics of Afghanistan|Afghan government]] in the 20th century. The majority population of this province is Pashtun tribe.

The [[Helmand River]] flows through the mainly desert region of the province, providing water used for irrigation. The [[Kajaki Dam]], which is one of [[List of dams and reservoirs in Afghanistan|Afghanistan's major reservoirs]], is located in the [[Kajaki district]]. Helmand is believed to be one of the world's largest [[opium]] producing regions, responsible for around 42% of the world's total production.<ref name=Smh2007-03-05>
{{cite news
| url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/where-the-poppy-is-king/2007/03/04/1172943270271.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2
| title=Where the poppy is king
| publisher=[[Sydney Morning Herald]]
| date=2007-03-05
| author=Pat McGeough
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605043426/http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/where-the-poppy-is-king/2007/03/04/1172943270271.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap2
| archive-date=2011-06-05
| url-status=live
| quote=More than 90 percent of the province's arable land is choked with the hardy plant. A 600-strong, US-trained eradication force is hopelessly behind schedule on its target for this growing season in Helmand - to clear about a third of the crop, which is estimated to be a head-spinning 70,000 hectares.
}}</ref><ref>{{cite news
| url=http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=379280&sid=WOR
| title=Afghanistan still the largest producer of opium: UN report
| publisher=[[Zee News]]
| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928000039/http://www.zeenews.com/znnew/articles.asp?aid=379280&sid=WOR
| archive-date=2007-09-28
| url-status=dead
| quote=She said opium cultivation is concentrated in the south of the country, with just one province ‘Helmand’ accounting for 42% of all the illicit production in the world. Many of the provinces with the highest levels of production also have the worst security problems.
| access-date=2007-06-26
}}</ref> This is believed to be more than the whole of [[Myanmar]], which is the second-largest producing nation after Afghanistan. The region also produces [[tobacco]], [[sugar beet]]s, [[cotton]], [[sesame]], [[wheat]], [[mung bean]]s, [[maize]], nuts, [[sunflower]]s, [[onion]]s, [[potato]], [[tomato]], [[cauliflower]], [[peanut]], [[apricot]], [[grape]], and [[melon]].<ref name=nps/> The province has a domestic airport ([[Bost Airport]]), in the city of Lashkargah that was heavily used by [[ISAF|NATO]]-led forces. The former British [[Camp Bastion]] and the U.S. [[Camp Leatherneck]] is a short distance southwest of Lashkargah.

Throughout the [[War in Afghanistan (2001-2021)|2001-2021 war in Afghanistan]], Helmand was a hotbed of insurgent activities<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://foreignpolicy.com/2010/03/19/could-helmand-be-the-dubai-of-afghanistan/|title=Could Helmand be the Dubai of Afghanistan?|first=Jean|last=MacKenzie}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=UK's Helmand mission was 'flawed' |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/10300703|date=June 12, 2010|website=Bbc.co.uk}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/47cbc62a1e.html|title=Afghanistan: Clashes in Helmand leave civilians dead, displaced|author=United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees|website=Refworld.org}}</ref> and was often considered at the time to be Afghanistan's "most dangerous" province.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.vice.com/en_uk/article/7bdbjq/notes-from-afghanistans-most-dangerous-province-102 |title=Notes from Afghanistan's Most Dangerous Province|first=Ben |last=Anderson|date=June 22, 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35984894|title=Afghan forces face 'decisive' battle |first=Justin|last=Rowlatt|date=April 7, 2016|website=Bbc.co.uk}}</ref> The province also witnessed some of the heaviest fighting during the war, where at its peak hundreds of civilians were being killed monthly.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Tugnoli |first=Lorenzo |title=A year of peace in one of Afghanistan’s deadliest provinces |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2022/afghanistan-helmand-us-withdrawal-anniversary/ |access-date=2022-10-19 |website=Washington Post |language=en}}</ref> Its suitable climate for the cultivation of a wide range of crops also contributed greatly to the [[Taliban]]'s finances. Additionally, Helmand is considered to be one of Afghanistan's most socially conservative areas.<ref>{{cite web |title=Afghanistan |work=Countries of Concern |url=https://www.refworld.org/pdfid/4caebb4f0.pdf |pages=79–86}}</ref>

==History==
{{History of Afghanistan}}
{{Further|History of Afghanistan}}

===Helmand culture===
Helmand culture of western Afghanistan was a [[Bronze Age]] culture of the 3rd millennium BC. It is exemplified by such major sites as [[Shahr-i Sokhta]], [[Mundigak]], and [[Bampur]].

The term "Helmand civilization" was proposed by M. Tosi. This civilization flourished between 2500 BC and 1900 BC and may have coincided with the great flourishing of the [[Indus Valley civilisation]]. This was also the final phase of Periods III and IV of Shahr-i Sokhta, and the last part of Mundigak Period IV.

According to Jarrige et al.,

{{bquote|... the pottery of Mundigak I, the earliest occupation of the [[Helmand culture|complex]], corresponds to the [[Mehrgarh]] III pottery, in technique — the quality of the paste and manufacture — as well as in the shapes and decoration, probably within a phase dated to the end of the 5th millennium [BC]."<ref>Jarrige, J.-F., Didier, A. & Quivron, G. (2011) [https://www.academia.edu/4602453 Shahr-i Sokhta and the Chronology of the Indo-Iranian Borderlands.] Paléorient 37 (2) : 7-34 academia.edu</ref>}}

There were also links between Shahr-i Sokhta I, II, and III periods, and Mundigak III and IV periods, and between the sites of [[Balochistan]] and the Indus valley at the end of the 4th millennium, as well as in the first half of the 3rd millennium BC.

The [[Jiroft culture]] is closely related to the Helmand culture. The Jiroft culture flourished in eastern Iran, and the Helmand culture in western Afghanistan at the same time. They may represent the same cultural area. The [[Mehrgarh]] culture, on the other hand, is far earlier.

===Achaemenid times===

Helmand was inhabited by ancient peoples and governed by the [[Medes]] before falling to the [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenids]].

Later, the area was part of the ancient [[Arachosia]] polity, and a frequent target for conquest because of its strategic location in [[Asia]], which connects [[South Asia|Southern]], [[Central Asia|Central]] and [[Southwest Asia]].

The Helmand river valley is mentioned by name in the [[Avesta]] (Fargard 1:13) as ''Haetumant'', one of the early centers or origins of the [[Zoroastrian]] faith, in [[pre-Islamic Afghan history]]. However, owing to the presence of non-Zoroastrians even though Zoroastrians being dominant before the [[Islamization]] of Afghanistan – particularly Buddhist.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.avesta.org/vendidad/vd1sbe.htm|title=AVESTA: VENDIDAD (English): Fargard 1.|work=avesta.org}}</ref>

Some Vedic scholars (e.g. Kochhar 1999) also believe the Helmand river corresponds to the [[Sarasvati River|Sarasvati]] river mentioned in the ''[[Rig Veda]]'' as the homeland of the [[Indo-Aryan migration|Aryan tribes before migrating]] into the [[Indian Subcontinent]], ca. 1500 BCE.<ref>Kochhar, Rajesh, 'On the identity and chronology of the Ṛgvedic river Sarasvatī' in Archaeology and Language III; Artefacts, languages and texts, [[Routledge]] (1999), {{ISBN|0-415-10054-2}}.</ref>

===Alexander the Great to modern times===
It was invaded in 330 BC by [[Alexander the Great]] and became part of the [[Seleucid Empire]]. Later, it came under the rule of the [[Maurya]]n emperor [[Ashoka]], who erected a pillar there with a bilingual inscription in [[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Aramaic]]. The territory was referred to as part of [[Zabulistan]] and ruled by the sun-worshipping [[Zunbils]] before the [[Muslim]] [[Arab people|Arabs]] arrived in the 7th century, who were led by [[Abdur Rahman bin Samara]]. It later fell to the [[Saffarid dynasty|Saffarids]] of [[Zaranj]] and saw the first Muslim rule. [[Mahmud of Ghazni]] made it part of the [[Ghaznavids]] in the 10th century, who were replaced by the [[Ghurid dynasty|Ghurids]].
[[File:Grishk Dam in Helmand.jpg|left|thumb|[[Grishk Dam]], built by the United States around the 1960s.]]

After the destructions caused by [[Genghis Khan]] and his Mongol army in the 13th century, the [[Timurids]] established rule and began rebuilding Afghan cities. From about 1383 until his death in 1407, it was governed by [[Pir Muhammad bin Jahangir Mirza|Pir Muhammad]], a grandson of [[Timur]]. By the early 16th century, it fell to [[Babur]]. However, the area was often contested by the [[Shia Islam|Shia]] [[Safavid dynasty|Safavids]] and [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] [[Mughal Empire|Mughals]] until the rise of [[Mir Wais Hotak]] in 1709. He defeated the Safavids and established the [[Hotaki dynasty]]. The Hotakis ruled it until 1738 when the [[Afsharid dynasty|Afsharids]] defeated Shah [[Hussain Hotaki]] at what is now [[Old Kandahar]].

===Durrani era===
When [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] came to power in 1747, after [[Nader Shah]] was assassinated, he began redistributing land grants that had been given by his predecessor. At that time, the area of what is now Helmand province was part of [[Kandahar Province]] (which continued until it was split off into the new [[Farah Province]] during the reign of [[Sher Ali Khan]]), and it was known as ''Pusht-e Rud'', or "across the river", reflecting how the region was viewed from [[Kandahar]], which was Ahmad Shah's capital. Pusht-e Rud traditionally consisted into four districts: [[Zamindawar]], [[Nawzad District|Now Zad]], Pusht-e Rud proper, and [[Garmsir]]. Ahmad Shah's land redistribution legitimized existing [[Alizai (Pashtun tribe)|Alizai]] influence in Zamindawar, while the powerful [[Barakzai]] received Pusht-e Rud proper, and the district of Garmsir in the south was granted to the [[Noorzai]] to protect against [[Baloch people|Baluch]] raids. Now Zad was divided between the Noorzai and the [[Ishaqzai]]. This arrangement has survived, with a few exceptions, until the present day.<ref name="Martin 2011">{{cite book |last1=Martin |first1=Mike |title=A Brief History of Helmand |date=2011 |publisher=Afghan COIN Centre |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/A_Brief_History_of_Helmand/L1bpqRFsGtgC |access-date=24 December 2020}}</ref>

Then, as now, relatively few members of the [[Popolzai]] tribe (to which Ahmad Shah Durrani belonged) lived in Helmand. The Durrani monarchs were thus ambivalent towards the area's tribes and didn't favor any one tribe over the others. Rather, they treated the tribes according to their relative power. Thus, the powerful Barakzai tribe received a hereditary position as ministers to the crown, as well as some of the most valuable land in Helmand: the alluvial plains around present-day [[Malgir]], [[Babaji, Helmand|Babaji]], and [[Spin Masjid]], as well as the strategically important [[Gereshk]].<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

That changed in 1826, when [[Dost Mohammad Khan]], himself a Barakzai, seized power. Dost Mohammad increased taxes on non-Barakzai tribes in Helmand, especially the Alizai of Zamindawar. When the Alizai didn't pay taxes, a Barakzai punitive expedition was sent to Zamindawar, and in Alizai clan chiefs were executed. During this period, the Alizai began to view the Barakzai as enemies, creating the Alizai-Barakzai dynamic that still heavily influences Helmand politics.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

At this time, the area around Garmsir was effectively independent, and ignored by the monarchy in Kabul.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

===Anglo-Afghan Wars===
{{see also|Anglo-Afghan Wars}}
In 1839, the British deposed Dost Mohammad Khan in favor of the Popolzai [[Shah Shujah Durrani]]. In doing so, they hoped to limit Russian influence in Afghanistan. Hoping to secure the loyalty of Helmandi tribal leaders, Shah Shujah reinstated the titles they had previously enjoyed under Popolzai rule, and he also held off on taxing them until his position was stronger. However, he kept the Barakzai tax collectors in office, and they resumed collection in 1840. When a Barakzai tax collector was killed at [[Sarwan Qala]] that year, the British sent in troops to enforce collection, a political blunder leading to open rebellion by the Alizai. It is not known if the British were aware of the political ramifications of Shah Shujah's decision to retain the Barakzai tax collectors, but they were completely bewildered by the ensuing rebellion, reflecting a clear lack of understanding of local dynamics on their part.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

The leader of the rebellion was [[Aktur Khan]], who had risen to prominence during this dispute. His invocations of Alizai honor and appeals to group identity had resulted in him attaining chieftainship of the Alizai. After some skirmishes, the British offered to remove the Barakzai tax collectors in return for the dispersal of Aktur Khan's 1,300 followers. This soon broke down, and by May 1841, Aktur Khan led a force of 3,000 men to capture Gereshk. The British retook Gereshk at the beginning of June and then led punitive expeditions into Zamindawar, and eventually the rebellion was defeated and Aktur Khan fled to [[Herat]].<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

British-backed Barakzai horsemen were sent to reinforce Gereshk in November 1841. The Alizai repeatedly tried to capture it, but the Barakzai were able to maintain control until August 1842 because the other Barakzai who lived there kept them well-supplied.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

Dost Mohammad Khan was reinstalled for a second reign when the British withdrew from Afghanistan, but he ran into financial difficulties and sought a subsidy from the British in 1857. He distributed money from this subsidy unevenly among Helmandi tribes, favoring the Barakzai over the others, which upset the balance of power between the tribes. The subsidy also divided Afghanistan into British and Russian spheres of influence, with Gereshk and the Helmand river being on the border between them, increasing the area's strategic importance. The subsidy ended in 1862 when Dost Mohammad died and a succession crisis broke out between his sons. Helmandis fought as [[mercenary|mercenaries]] on the side of one of them, [[Sher Ali Khan]], playing a role in his eventual victory. The deciding battle was fought at Gereshk in 1868.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

Indebted to the Helmandi tribes for their contributions during the war, Sher Ali scaled back tax collection in the area and reduced the allowances to the Barakzai khans. Because of this, the Alizai did not rebel during his reign. Another key development for Helmand (Pusht-e Rud) during Sher Ali's reign was that he moved its four traditional districts into the newly created [[Farah Province]], moving it out of Kandahar's sphere of influence and meaning that he could influence the Pusht-e Rud area without going through a relative in Kandahar.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

In November 1878, the British invaded Afghanistan again. They occupied Gereshk until February 1879; an Alizai force of 1500 attacked them as they withdrew. Sher Ali died soon after, however, and the British wanted to again occupy Gereshk as a forward outpost against Sher Ali's son [[Ayub Khan (Emir of Afghanistan)|Ayub Khan]]. Perhaps realizing that the presence of their troops garrisoning Helmandi forts upset locals, the British sent a proxy Barakzai force to occupy Gereshk.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

Ayub Khan found ample support from Helmandis in his subsequent campaign against the British: three or four thousand Alizai tribesmen, led by a man named [[Abu Bakr (Alizai leader)|Abu Bakr]], had joined his army by October, as did a smaller contingent of Noorzai. Doubting the Barakzai's loyalty, the British sent some of their own troops to reinforce Gereshk in July 1880, led by [[George Burrows (Indian Army officer)|George Burrows]]. The Barakzai promptly mutinied and went over to Ayub Khan's side — a rare Barakzai-Alizai alliance, joining against a common enemy. The British withdrew and Ayub Khan's army pursued, leading to a major Afghan victory at the [[Battle of Maiwand]] on 27 July. Having achieved their main goal of defeating the British, the Alizai then left and returned to Zamindawar.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

The British later defeated Ayub Khan, but they ended up withdrawing from Afghanistan altogether, installing [[Abdur Rahman Khan]] as the new ruler and giving him a subsidy. Abdur Rahman Khan was a strong and intelligent state-builder who used the subsidy to finance a professional army. He defeated Abu Bakr of the Alizai and had him exiled, after which the Alizai cooperated with paying taxes. He used a combination of incentives and force to move the Ishaqzai and Noorzai to the northwestern part of Afghanistan, away from the lands along the Helmand they had been granted by Nader Shah. Their relocation was a disaster and many ended up returning to the Helmand area.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

When they came back, however, they were only given scattered, less-productive lands. This dramatically changed the power dynamic of the Helmand area, marking the beginning of Ishaqzai and (to a lesser degree) Noorzai disenfranchisement from government that has continued into the 21st century. The Noorzai would occupy marginal lands until the late 20th century, and the Ishaqzai population remains dispersed and scattered throughout Helmand today.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

The weakening of Helmand's non-Barakzai tribes, combined with a policy of non-interference with the tribes, led to stability in the region throughout Abdur Rahman's reign. This continued during the rule of his son [[Habibullah of Afghanistan|Habibullah]], who died in 1919.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

===20th century development projects===
An important development was the re-construction of the [[Nahr-e Saraj]] canal, beginning in 1910. Newly irrigated areas that had previously been desert were now populated with ethnic and tribal groups who were not originally from Helmand, including refugees from Central Asia fleeing Soviet rule. Many of the villages along the canal therefore are named after these groups, such as Uzbek, Turkmen, and Popolzai. The government had originally planned to continue developing the Helmand area during the 1920s, but ended up shelving that project due to unrest over Amanullah's social reforms. In 1936, after the Musahiban dynasty had come to power, the government began construction of another canal in Helmand, the [[Nahr-e Bughra]]. The Afghan government originally sought out US financial and technical assistance, but the US refused, so instead it was the Germans and Japanese who contributed. The Nahr-e Bughra project employed up to 7,000 workers, and there were also other small-scale development projects in the area at the same time. Roads, bridges, and telephone wires were built to connect the major settlements. This was the first externally supervised development project in Helmand. However, when [[World War II]] broke out, the British requested that the German and Japanese engineers be expelled from Afghanistan, and the government had to continue on its own.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

Helmand was the center of the [[United States Agency for International Development|USAID]] program in the 1960s to develop the [[Helmand and Arghandab Valley Authority]] (HAVA) – it became known locally as "little America". The program laid out tree-lined streets in Lashkargah, built a network of irrigation canals and constructed a large hydroelectric dam. The development program was abandoned when pro-Soviet Union forces seized power in 1978, although much of the province is still irrigated by the HAVA.

===Administrative changes===
Thanks in part to the irrigation projects, the Pusht-e Rud area had become more important, and the government recognized this by splitting it off from Farah Province to create a new ''Gereshk Province'' in 1960. Gereshk was made the capital to reflect the historical importance of the Barakzai, which had been diluted by the influx of outside settlers in the province. The US, however, cared more that the HVA headquarters was in Lashkar Gah, and they successfully lobbied the Afghan government to relocate the provincial capital there. This happened in 1964, and the province was renamed "Helmand Province".<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

For the first time since 1826, the Helmandi Barakzai were no longer dominant in the region. To compensate for this, the government completelty redrew the district boundaries in Helmand. The four traditional districts were abolished and replaced new districts. These new districts, greater in number than the traditional ones, were each assigned an "order", which determined how much resources would be allocated to each district. Additionally, since the [[1964 Constitution of Afghanistan|1964 constitution]] introduced voting, the new districts were drawn in a way allowing the government to maintain influence and control.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

The former Barakzai-dominated district of Pusht-e Rud proper, or Gereshk, was split into [[Nahr-e Seraj district|Nahr-e Seraj]] (the only 1st order district in the province), [[Nawa district|Nawa]] (4th order), and [[Lashkar Gah district|Lashkar Gah]] (which, as the capital, had its own resourcing protocol). Lashkar Gah district was [[gerrymandering|gerrymandered]] to give the Barakzai a majority over the mixed tribes in the urban area: a slice of Barakzai-dominated [[Babaji, Afghanistan|Babaji]] was included, and the boundary with [[Nad-e Ali district]] was drawn on the border of Barakzai territory in [[Bolan, Helmand|Bolan]]. This way, the Barakzai central government was able to retain control of even the new capital of Helmand.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

Meanwhile, the Alizai district of Zamindawar was split into [[Musa Qala district|Musa Qala]] (2nd order), [[Baghran district|Baghran]] (4th order), and [[Kajaki district|Kajaki]] (sub-district status). Now Zad, with its mixed Noorzai and Ishaqzai population, was split into [[Now Zad district|Now Zad]] (2nd order) and [[Washir district|Washir]] (sub-district status). [[Garmsir district]] was the only one of the traditional districts to remain intact; it was given 3rd-order status. The 37 different tribes and ethnicities who had immigrated to Nad-e Ali and Marjah were lumped into a single 3rd-order district. Finally, the sub-district of [[Sangin district|Sangin]] was created to separate the [[Alikozai]] tribe, closely related to the Barakzai, from the Alizai.<ref name="Martin 2011"/>

===21st century===
{{Further|Helmand province campaign}}
During [[Operation Enduring Freedom]], the [[United States Agency for International Development]] program contributed to a counter-narcotics initiative called the Alternative Livelihoods Program (ALP) in the province. It paid communities to work to improve their environment and economic infrastructure as an alternative to [[opium poppy]] farming. The project undertook [[drainage]] and canal rehabilitation projects. In 2005 and 2006, there were problems in getting promised finance to communities and this was a source of considerable tension between the farmers and the Coalition forces.{{Citation needed|date=December 2011}}

After it was decided to deploy British troops to the Province, [[Permanent Joint Headquarters|PJHQ]] tasked [[Special Air Service|22 SAS]] to conduct a reconnaissance of the province. The review was led by [[Mark Carleton-Smith]], who found the province largely at peace due to the brutal rule of [[Sher Mohammad Akhundzada]], and a booming opium-fuelled economy that benefited the pro-government warlords. In June he reported back to the [[Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)|MoD]] warning them not to remove Akhundzada and against the deployment of a large British force which would likely cause conflict where none existed.<ref>Farrell, Theo, ''Unwinnable: Britain’s War in Afghanistan, 2001–2014'', Bodley Head, 2017 {{ISBN|1847923461|978-1847923462}}, P.233</ref>

It was announced in January 2006 in the [[Parliament of the United Kingdom|British Parliament]] that [[International Security Assistance Force]] (ISAF) would replace the [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. troops]] in the province as part of [[Operation Herrick]]. The British [[16 Air Assault Brigade]] would be the core of the force in Helmand Province. British bases were located in the districts of [[Sangin]], [[Lashkargah]] and [[Grishk]]. British forces were replaced in Sangin by elements of the [[United States Marine Corps]] I Marine Expeditionary Force Forward.

[[File:US Navy 110105-N-0318S-093 A U.S. Marine Corps CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter flies over a Seabee project site in Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan.jpg|thumb|[[Camp Leatherneck]]]]
In summer 2006, Helmand was one of the provinces involved in [[Operation Mountain Thrust]], a combined NATO-Afghan mission targeted at Taliban fighters in the south of the country. In July 2006, this offensive mission essentially stalled in Helmand as NATO, primarily British, and Afghan troops were forced to take increasingly defensive positions under heavy insurgent pressure. In response, British troop levels in the province were increased, and new encampments were established in Sangin and Grishk. Fighting was particularly heavy in the districts of Sangin, Naway, [[Nawzad, Afghanistan|Nawzad]] and [[Garmsir]]. There were reports that the Taliban saw Helmand province as a key testing area for their ability to take and hold Afghan territory from NATO-led [[Afghan National Security Forces]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/5189316.stm |work=BBC News |title=Coalition 'retakes Taleban towns' |date=2006-07-19 |access-date=2010-05-04}}</ref> Commanders on the ground described the situation as the most brutal conflict the [[British Army]] had been involved in since the [[Korean War]].

In Autumn 2006, British troops started to reach "cessation of hostilities" agreements with local Taliban forces around the district centers where they had been stationed earlier in the summer.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/newspaper/0,,176-2383232,00.html |work=The Times |location=London |title=British troops in secret truce with the Taliban |first=Michael |last=Smith |date=2006-10-01 |access-date=2010-05-04}}</ref> Under the terms of the agreement, both sets of forces were to withdraw from the conflict zone. This agreement from the British forces implied that the strategy of holding key bases in the district, as requested by [[List of Presidents of Afghanistan|Afghan President]] [[Hamid Karzai]], was essentially untenable with the levels of British troop deployment. The agreement was also a setback for Taliban fighters, who were desperate to consolidate their gains in the province, but were under heavy pressure from various NATO offensives.

[[File:Opium poppies in Helmand -a.jpg|left|thumb|A U.S. Marine greeting local children working in an opium poppy field in 2011.]]
News reports identified the insurgents involved in the fighting as a mix of Taliban fighters and warring tribal groups who are heavily involved in the province's lucrative opium trade.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/5179440.stm |work=BBC News |title=Unravelling the Helmand impasse |date=2006-07-14 |access-date=2010-05-04 |first=Alastair |last=Leithead}}</ref> Given the amount of drugs produced in the area, it is likely that foreign drug traffickers were also involved.

Fighting continued throughout the winter, with British and allied troops taking a more pro-active stance against the Taliban insurgents. Several operations were launched including ''Operation Silicone'' at the start of spring. In May 2007, [[Dadullah|Mullah Dadullah]], one of the Taliban's top commanders, along with 11 of his men were killed by NATO-led Afghan forces in Helmand.

[[File:ANP headquarters in Lashkar Gah.jpg|thumb|[[Afghan National Police]] station in [[Lashkargah]].]]
In April 2008, about 1,500 [[2nd Battalion 7th Marines]] occupied over {{convert|300|sqmi|km2|sigfig=1}} of Helmand River valley and neighboring [[Farah Province]]. The operation was to set up forward operation bases and train the [[Afghan National Police]] in an area with little or no outside support.

Also in 2008, an [[Embedded Training Team]] from the [[Oregon Army National Guard]] led a Kandak of [[Afghan National Army]] troops in fighting against the Taliban in [[Lashkargah]], as seen in the documentary [[Shepherds of Helmand]].

In June 2009, ''Operation Panther's Claw'' was launched with the stated aim of securing control of various canal and river crossings and establishing a lasting ISAF presence in an area described by Lt. Col. Richardson as "one of the main Taliban strongholds" ahead of the 2009 Afghan presidential election.

[[File:Road in Helmand Province.jpg|thumb|left|Locals drive on the new 12-kilometer road built by Afghans partnered with Marine and British engineer mentors. The new road was completed five months ahead of schedule and built entirely by Afghans.]]
In July 2009, around 4,000 U.S. Marines pushed into the Helmand River valley in a major offensive to liberate the area from Taliban insurgents. The operation, dubbed [[Operation Khanjar]] (''Operation Dagger''), was the first major push since [[List of Presidents of the United States|U.S. President]] [[Barack Obama|Obama]]'s request for 21,000 additional soldiers in Afghanistan, targeting the Taliban insurgents.

In February 2013, ''[[BBC]]'' reported that [[Corruption in Afghanistan|corruption]] occurs in Afghan National Police bases, with some bases arming children, using them as servants and sometimes [[Child sexual abuse|sexually abusing]] them;<ref>{{cite news |title=Afghan police: Panorama uncovers corruption in Helmand bases |author=Ben Anderson |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21572498 |newspaper=BBC News |date=25 February 2013 |access-date=4 March 2013}}</ref> in early March 2013, the ''[[New York Times]]'' reported that government corruption is rampant with routine accusations against the police of shaking down and sexually abusing civilians causing loyalty to the government to be weaker.<ref>{{cite news |title=As Marines Exit Afghan Province, a Feeling That a Campaign Was Worth It |author=James Dao |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/03/world/asia/marines-quit-afghan-province-feeling-the-war-was-worth-it.html?pagewanted=all |newspaper=New York Times |date=3 March 2013 |access-date=4 March 2013}}</ref>

On 13 August 2021, the capital of the province Lashkar Gah fell to the Taliban after weeks of fighting in the [[Battle of Lashkargah]]. Around 1,500 Afghan soldiers were said to have surrendered, leaving the province in Taliban hands.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Bunkall|first=Alistair|date=14 August 2021|title=Afghanistan: Taliban fighters take southern city of Lashkar Gah following capture of Kandahar and Herat2|url=https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-uk-to-deploy-600-troops-as-taliban-captures-countrys-second-and-third-largest-cities-12379951|access-date=15 August 2021|website=Sky News}}</ref> According to the ''[[The Washington Post]]'', the US withdrawal and Taliban victory was mostly met with relief in Helmand; the province had suffered through some of the deadliest battles of the war from 2001 to 2021<ref>{{Cite web |title= |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interactive/2022/afghanistan-helmand-us-withdrawal-anniversary/}}</ref> and heavy US-led bombardments.<ref>{{Cite web |last=郭蓉 |title=US atrocities still haunt Afghans trying to rebuild |url=https://global.chinadaily.com.cn/a/202209/01/WS63100df3a310fd2b29e755f4.html |access-date=2022-10-19 |website=global.chinadaily.com.cn}}</ref>

{{clear}}

==Transport==
[[File:Back of Antonov An-225 at Camp Bastion in 2011.jpg|thumb|The [[Antonov An-225 Mriya]] at [[Camp Bastion]]]]
{{Further|Transport in Afghanistan}}
[[Bost Airport]] serves the population of Helmand for domestic flights to other parts of the country. It is designed for civilian use. NATO-led forces heavily used the airport at [[Camp Shorabak]], formerly [[Camp Bastion]]. [[Camp Leatherneck]], which used to be the main British base in Afghanistan during the occupation, is also adjacent. All sites were claimed by the Taliban on 13 August 2021.

There is no rail service. Primary roads include the ring road passes through Helmand from Kandahar to Delaram. There is a major north–south route (Highway 611) that goes from Lashkargah to Sangin. About 33% of Helmands roads are not passable during certain seasons and in some areas, there are no roads at all.

==Economy==
{{Further|Economy of Afghanistan}}
Farming is the main source of income for the majority. This includes agriculture and animal husbandry. Animals include cows, sheep, goats, and chicken. Donkeys and [[camel]]s are used for labor. The province has a potential for fishery. The region produce the following: [[opium]], tobacco, cotton, wheat and potato.{{citation needed|date=April 2019}}

==Healthcare==
{{Further|Health in Afghanistan}}
The percentage of households with clean drinking water fell from 28% in 2005 to 3% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org">{{cite web|website=Civil Military Fusion Centre – Archive |url=https://www.cimicweb.org/AfghanistanProvincialMap/Pages/Helmand.aspx |title=Helmund Province |access-date=2014-05-30 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140531105749/https://www.cimicweb.org/AfghanistanProvincialMap/Pages/Helmand.aspx |archive-date=2014-05-31 }}</ref>
The percentage of births attended to by a skilled birth attendant increased from 2% in 2005 to 3% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org"/>

{{clear}}

==Education==
[[File:Friendly Afghan police officer and Afghan girls celebrate the opening of a new girls' school in Helmand.jpg|thumb|An Afghan police officer giving a book to schoolgirls during the opening of a new girls' school in Helmand]]
{{Further|Education in Afghanistan}}
The overall literacy rate (6+ years of age) increased from 5% in 2005 to 12% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org"/>
The overall net enrollment rate (6–13 years of age) fell from 6% in 2005 to 4% in 2011.<ref name="cimicweb.org"/>

{{clear}}

==Demographics==
[[File:US Army ethnolinguistic map of Afghanistan -- circa 2001-09.jpg|thumb|[[Ethnolinguistics|Ethnolinguistic]] groups of [[Afghanistan]]]]
{{Further|Demographics of Afghanistan}}
As of 2020, the population of Helmand Province is about 1,446,230.<ref name=nsia>{{cite web |url=https://www.nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A2%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D9%86%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B3-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%DB%B1%DB%B3%DB%B9%DB%B9-%D9%86%D8%B3%D8%AE%DB%80-%D8%A7%D9%88%D9%84.pdf |title=Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2020-21 |publisher=Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, National Statistics and Information Authority |access-date=6 June 2021}}</ref> It is mostly a tribal and rural society, with the ethnic [[Pashtun people|Pashtuns]] being predominant; there is a significant [[Baloch people|Baloch]] minority in the south, and there is small minority of [[Tajik people|Tajiks]], and a significant minority of [[Hazara people|Hazaras]] in the far northern regions of the province.<ref>{{cite web|title=Welcome - Naval Postgraduate School |url=http://www.nps.edu/Programs/CCS/Docs/PDF+Maps/NewTribal/Helmand.pdf |access-date=28 March 2018 |website=Nps.edu}}</ref> The Pashtuns are divided into the following tribes: [[Barakzai]] (32%), [[Nurzai]] (16%), [[Alakozai]] (9%), and [[Pashtun tribes|Eshaqzai]] (5.2%).<ref name=nps>{{cite web |title=Helmand |url=http://www.nps.edu/programs/ccs/Docs/Executive%20Summaries/Helmand_Executive_Sum.pdf |work=Program for Culture & Conflict Studies |date=May 1, 2010 |access-date=2012-12-28 }}</ref> All the inhabitants practice [[Sunni Islam]] except the small number of Hazaras who are [[Shi'a Islam|Shi'as]] and the Sikhs who follow [[Sikhism]]. 53.5% of the population lived below the national [[poverty line]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=nynR_73lsuYC&pg=PA255|title = Decoding the New Taliban: Insights from the Afghan Field|isbn = 9781849042260|last1 = Giustozzi|first1 = Antonio|date = August 2012}}</ref>

{{clear}}

==Districts==
[[File:Helmand districts.png|thumb|Districts of Helmand Province]]
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+ Districts of Helmand Province
|-
!District
!Capital
!Population<ref name=mrrd>{{cite web |url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=131&Itemid=120 |title=Hillmand Province |publisher=[[Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development]] |work=Government of Afghanistan and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)|access-date=2012-12-27}}</ref>
!Area
!Number of villages and ethnic groups
|-
|[[Baghran District|Baghran]] || || 129,947 || 3,124 km2 ||38 villages. Pashtun.<ref>{{Cite web|title=—YOUR GUESS IS AS GOOD AS MINE—|url=http://345069709.cs-utilities.com/attachments/article/131/Baghran+DDP+English+Summary.pdf?sid=c393ed64-ab24-11e9-85ff-0505cf2b444f&token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJhdWQiOiJKb2tlbiIsImRvbWFpbiI6Im1ycmQtbmFiZHAub3JnIiwiZXhwIjoxNTYzNjU4MjAwLCJpYXQiOjE1NjM2NTEwMDAsImlzcyI6Ikpva2VuIiwianRpIjoiMm1wajhqNjdzZW8zajk2c2M4MGNwaW80IiwibmJmIjoxNTYzNjUxMDAwLCJ0cyI6MTU2MzY1MTAwMDAwMzM0NX0.SKs7syS96JAIJE4Tbvzu7wTTDoWJfSrEqmJj7dPkrsI|website=345069709.cs-utilities.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Baghran%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705041456/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Baghran%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Dishu District|Dishu]] || || 29,005 || 9,485 km2 || 80% Pashtun and 20% Baloch<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/southern/helmand/dishu.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=www.aims.org.af |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027175256/http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/southern/helmand/dishu.pdf |archive-date=27 October 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Disho+DDP+English+Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705051153/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Disho%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Garmsir District|Garmsir]] || || 107,153 || 10,345 km2 || 112 villages. Pashtun.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Garmser+DDP+English+Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130729191805/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Garmser%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 29, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Kajaki District|Kajaki]] || || 119,023 || 1,976 km2 || 220 villages<ref>[http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Kajaki%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf Kajaki District] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705054109/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Kajaki%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf |date=2013-07-05 }}</ref> 100% Pashtun<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/southern/helmand/kajaki.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=www.aims.org.af |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027180625/http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/southern/helmand/kajaki.pdf |archive-date=27 October 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
|[[Khanashin District|Khanashin]] (Reg) || || 17,333 || 13,153 km2 || Pashtun<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Khanishin+DDP+English+Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705062831/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Khanishin%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Lashkargah District|Lashkargah]] || [[Lashkargah]] || 201,546 || 998 km2 || 160 villages. Pashtun.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Bost%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705053525/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Bost%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Marjah]] || [[Marjah]] || || 2,300 km2 || 95% Pashtun, 5% Tajik and Hazara.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Marja%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705042927/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Marja%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Musa Qala District|Musa Qala]] || [[Musa Qala]] || 138,896 || 1,694 km2 || Pashtun<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Mousa%20Qala%20DDP%20Englihs%20Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705064307/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Mousa%20Qala%20DDP%20Englihs%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Nad Ali District|Nad Ali]] || || 235,590 || 4,564 km2 || 90% Pashtun, 10% Turkmen and Hazara.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Nad%20Ali%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705042406/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Nad%20Ali%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Grishk District|Grishk]] (Nahri Saraj) || || 166,827 || 1,543 km2 || 97 villages. Pashtun<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Nahri%20Saraj%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705052726/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Nahri%20Saraj%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Nawa-I-Barakzayi District|Nawa-I-Barakzayi]] || || 300,000 || 4135 km2 || 350 villages. Pashtun<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Nawa%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705063838/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Nawa%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Nawzad District|Nawzad]] || || 108,258 || 4,135 km2 || 100% Pashtun<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/southern/helmand/naw_zad.pdf |title=Archived copy |website=www.aims.org.af |access-date=11 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051027182129/http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/southern/helmand/naw_zad.pdf |archive-date=27 October 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Nawzad%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705063323/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Nawzad%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Sangin District|Sangin]] || [[Sangin]] || 66,901 || 508 km2 || 99% Pashtun, 1% Hazara, Tajik and Arab.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Sangin+DDP+English+Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705054546/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Sangin%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Washir District|Washir]] || || 31,476 || 4,319 km2 || Pashtun<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Washir%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130705033340/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/attachments/article/131/Washir%20DDP%20English%20Summary.pdf|url-status=dead|title=Loading...|archive-date=July 5, 2013}}</ref>
|-
|[[Bahram Chah District|Bahram Chah]] || || (300-3500) ||
|}

==Politicians==
*[[Mohammad Daoud (governor)|Mohammad Daoud]]

==See also==
*[[Provinces of Afghanistan]]
*[[2007 Helmand province airstrikes]]
*[[Dashti Margo]]
*[[Operation Khanjar]]

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center" caption="Images of Helmand Province">
File:Kajaki Dam and spillway in 2012.jpg|The [[Kajaki Dam]] (left) and [[spillway]] (right)
Mountains Aflame.jpg|Mountains in [[Musa Qala District]] during sunset
File:Afghan Local Police (ALP), Afghan National Police and Afghan Border Police officers stand in formation during an ALP graduation ceremony at the regional ALP training center in the Lashkar Gah district, Helmand 130606-A-RI362-222.jpg|[[Afghan National Security Forces]], which includes [[Afghan National Police]] (ANP), [[Afghan Border Police]] (ABP) and [[Afghan Local Police]] (ALP)
File:Afghan children wave flags during a celebration of the Islamic religious holiday of Eid al-Fitr in the Garmsir district of Helmand province, Afghanistan, Aug 110831-M-ED643-010.jpg|Afghans with national flags
</gallery>

==References==
{{reflist|35em}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}

{{Geographic location
|Centre = Helmand Province
|North = [[Ghor Province]]
|Northeast = [[Daykundi Province]] [[Urozgan Province]]
|East = [[Kandahar Province]]
|Southeast =
|South = [[Balochistan (Pakistan)|Balochistan]], {{flag|Pakistan}}
|Southwest =
|West = [[Nimruz Province]]
|Northwest = [[Farah Province]]
}}

{{Provinces of Afghanistan}}
{{War on Terror}}
{{Helmand Province}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Helmand Province| ]]
[[Category:Provinces of Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Provinces of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan]]

Kunduz

2022-10-30T18:06:28Z

VoiceOfPeace6:

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name = 
|official_name = Kunduz
|native_name = {{lang-fa|{{nq|قندوز}}}}
|native_name_lang = prs
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|settlement_type = [[List of cities in Afghanistan|City]]

|image_skyline = Kunduz River valley.jpg
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|subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name = [[Afghanistan]]
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|subdivision_name1 = [[Kunduz Province]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Districts of Afghanistan|District]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Kunduz District]]

|established_title = First mention
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[[File:Kunduz.JPG|275px|thumb|right]]
'''Kunduz''' ({{IPAc-en|k|ʊ|n|d|uː|z}}; {{lang-ps|{{nq|کندز}}}}; {{lang-fa|{{nq|قندوز}}}} original name: {{lang|fa|{{nq|کُهَندِژ}}}}) is a city in northern [[Afghanistan]], the capital of [[Kunduz Province]]. The city has an estimated population of about 268,893 as of 2015, making it about the [[List of cities in Afghanistan|7th-largest city]] of Afghanistan, and the largest city in northeastern Afghanistan.<ref name="soac1">{{cite web|date=2015|title=State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-I English)|url=https://unhabitat.org/soac2015|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026042513/https://unhabitat.org/soac2015|archive-date=2021-10-26|access-date=2021-10-26|website=[[UN-Habitat]]|language=en}}</ref> Kunduz is in the historical [[Tokharistan]] region of [[Bactria]], near the confluence of the [[Kunduz River]] with the [[Khanabad River]]. Kunduz is linked by highways with [[Kabul]] to the south, [[Mazar-i-Sharif]] to the west, and [[Badakhshan Province|Badakhshan]] to the east. Kunduz is also linked with [[Dushanbe]] in [[Tajikistan]] to the north, via the Afghan dry port of [[Sherkhan Bandar]]. This city is famous for its watermelon in Afghanistan

As of 2015, the land use of the city (within the municipal boundary) is largely agricultural (65.8% of total area). Residential land comprises nearly half of the 'built-up' land area (48.3%) with 29,877 dwellings. Institutional land comprises 17.9% of built-up land use, given that the airport is within the municipal boundary.<ref name="soac2">{{cite web|date=2015|title=State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-II)|url=https://unhabitat.org/soac2015_volume2|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211026042608/https://unhabitat.org/soac2015_volume2|archive-date=2021-10-26|access-date=2021-10-26|website=[[UN-Habitat]]|language=en, prs}}</ref>

In 2021, the [[Taliban]] gained control of the city during the [[2021 Taliban offensive]].

== Etymology ==
Kunduz is also sometimes spelled ([[romanized]]) as '''Kundûz''', '''Qonduz''', '''Qondûz''', '''Konduz''', '''Kondûz''', '''Kondoz''', or '''Qhunduz'''. The name of the city is derived from the [[Persian language|Persian]] compound, ''kohan dež'', "old/ancient fort".<ref>{{Cite book|last=Branch|first=India Army General Staff|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SPVtAAAAMAAJ|title=Historical and Political Gazetteer of Afghanistan|date=1972|publisher=Akadem. Druck- u. Verlagsanst.|isbn=9783201012720|language=en}}</ref>

== History ==
{{History of Afghanistan}}
{{Further|History of Afghanistan}}
Kunduz is the site of the ancient city of '''Drapsaka'''. It was a great centre of [[Buddhism|Buddhist]] learning and very prosperous during the 3rd century AD.

The city used to be called '''Walwalij'''<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.aai.uni-hamburg.de/voror/Personal/Islamic_Numismatics.html|title=Asien-Afrika-Institut|work=uni-hamburg.de|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120509204821/http://www.aai.uni-hamburg.de/voror/Personal/Islamic_Numismatics.html|archive-date=2012-05-09}}</ref> (or ''Varvarliz'') and the name ''Kuhandiz'' began to be used from the [[Timurid dynasty|Timurid]] time.

In the 18th and 19th centuries it was the capital of an [[Uzbeks|Uzbek]]-[[Tajik people|Tajik]] [[khanate]] which reached its largest extent, from [[Balkh]] to the [[Pamir Mountains]], during the reign of [[Mohammad Murad Beg|Murad Beg]] (1815-1842). After Murad's death, the khanate declined and was eventually subjugated by Afghanistan in 1859. It was part of [[The Great Game]] between the British and Russians.

In the early 20th century, between one-hundred and two-hundred thousand Tajiks and Uzbeks fled the conquest of their homeland by Russian Red Army and settled in northern Afghanistan.<ref name="Afghanistan Analysts Network">{{cite web|url=http://www.swp-berlin.org/fileadmin/contents/products/fachpublikationen/wrm_2012_the_networks_of_Kunduz.pdf|title=The Networks of Kunduz: A History of Conflict and Their Actors, from 1992 to 2001|last=Wörmer|first=Nils|date=2012|website=Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik|publisher=[[Afghanistan Analysts Network]]|page=8|access-date=2014-01-12}}</ref>

In the early 20th century, under the governance of [[Sher Khan Nasher]], Kunduz became one of the wealthiest Afghan provinces. This was mainly due to Nasher's founding of the [[Spinzar Cotton Company]], which continues to exist in post-war Afghanistan.

Kunduz is the most important agricultural province which produces [[wheat]], [[rice]], [[millet]], and other products and obtained the nickname of "the hive of the country."

Kunduz is the centre for the northeast provinces and was captured by the [[Taliban]] in 1997. It was the last major city held by the Taliban before its fall to US-backed [[Afghan Northern Alliance]] forces on 26 November 2001.

During the summer of 2015, the Taliban advanced and attacked the city, which resulted in a [[Battle of Kunduz (2015)|battle for control of the city]] against Afghan forces. Tens of thousands of inhabitants were displaced internally by the fighting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-33215948|title=Afghans counter Taliban offensive in northern Kunduz province|work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/22/world/asia/taliban-and-afghan-government-dispute-status-of-kunduz.html?_r=0|title=Taliban and Afghan Government Dispute Status of Kunduz|work=New York Times|date=21 June 2015}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.smh.com.au/world/afghanistan-taliban-advance-on-key-northern-city-20150621-ghtu5f.html|title=Afghanistan: Taliban advance on key northern city|work=The Sydney Morning Herald}}</ref> On 28 September 2015 the Taliban flag was again raised in the city center and the Taliban managed to capture the city prison and free many prisoners.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34377565 |title=Taliban 'seize half' of Afghanistan's Kunduz city |date=28 September 2015 |website=www.bbc.com |publisher=BBC |access-date=28 September 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|title=Afghan Taliban seize northern city center in major attack|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-attack-idUSKCN0RS0A820150928|newspaper=Reuters|date=2015-09-28|access-date=2015-09-28}}</ref> The [[Afghan Armed Forces]] counter-attacked and managed to re-capture the city in 15 days. The Taliban announced that, after achieving their objectives, they have withdrawn from the city's center. [[Zabiullah Mujahid]], a Taliban spokesperson, said that their main object in leaving the city is to avoid civilian casualties from air raids.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-34520318|title=Taliban admit Kunduz withdrawal|date=13 October 2015|access-date=8 April 2018|via=www.bbc.com}}</ref> In April 2018 the Afghan Air Force conducted [[Kunduz Madrassah Attack|an airstrike]] that killed and injured dozens of civilians at a [[madrasa|religious school]] in Kunduz.<ref>{{cite web|date=3 April 2018|author=cbs/AFP|title=Carnage as airstrike hits boy's school in Taliban territory|website=[[CBS News]]|access-date=2018-04-13|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/afghanistan-airstrike-kunduz-dashte-archi-district-kabul-says-taliban-hit/}}</ref> On 31 August 2019, the Taliban forces launched another attack on the city, setting off a major battle with local security forces.

On [[May 2020 Afghanistan attacks|19 May 2020]], the Taliban killed one policeman and one civilian and injured 18 others in a motorbike bomb blast in Kunduz. On the same day, the Taliban attempted again to capture Kunduz, attacking several government posts but were repelled by the Afghan security forces. The Taliban were forced to flee the city, leaving ten dead bodies behind.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-05/19/c_139070122.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200520184117/http://www.xinhuanet.com/english/2020-05/19/c_139070122.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=20 May 2020|title=Motorbike bomb, fighting claim 12 lives in Afghanistan's Kunduz province|date=May 19, 2020|via=http://www.xinhuanet.com/}}</ref> Eight Afghan soldiers and three civilians were killed and 55 others were wounded during the Taliban attack.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://au.news.yahoo.com/afghan-forces-repel-taliban-attack-key-city-113732943--spt.html|title=Eight Afghan soldiers die fighting off Taliban attack on key city|date=May 19, 2020|via=au.news.yahoo.com/}}</ref>

On 8 August 2021, the Taliban as part of their [[2021 Taliban offensive|nationwide military offensive]] captured Kunduz, along with Sar-e-Pul and Taloqan after heavy clashes with ANA forces.<ref>{{cite news |last=Gibbons-Neff |first=Thomas |title=The Taliban seize Kunduz, a major city in northern Afghanistan. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/08/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban-kunduz.html |work=The New York Times |access-date=8 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Latifi |first=Ali |title=Taliban captures Kunduz, third provincial capital in three days |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/8/taliban-captures-third-provincial-capital-in-three-days |website=Al Jazeera |publisher=Al Jazeera|access-date=8 August 2021}}</ref>

On 8 October 2021, a militant of [[Islamic State – Khorasan Province|ISKP]] [[2021 Kunduz mosque bombing|detonated a suicide vest targeting shia worshippers]] at the Gozar-e-Sayed Abad Mosque, killing 50+ people and wounding over 100.

== Geography ==
Kunduz is strategically situated on the main north–south highway linking [[Kabul]] to Tajikistan, and east–west [[Mazar-i-Sharif]] to [[Taloqan]] and [[Fayzabad, Badakhshan|Fayzabad]].

=== Climate ===
Kunduz has a [[cold semi-arid climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification]] ''BSk'') with hot summers and cool winters. Precipitation is generally low except from January to April, with summers almost always rainless.
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Kunduz
|metric first = Yes
|single line = Yes
|Jan record high C = 21.2
|Feb record high C = 25.0
|Mar record high C = 32.8
|Apr record high C = 38.9
|May record high C = 42.2
|Jun record high C = 46.2
|Jul record high C = 45.3
|Aug record high C = 44.2
|Sep record high C = 39.2
|Oct record high C = 39.4
|Nov record high C = 28.4
|Dec record high C = 21.6
|Jan high C = 6.3
|Feb high C = 9.5
|Mar high C = 15.8
|Apr high C = 23.0
|May high C = 29.8
|Jun high C = 37.3
|Jul high C = 39.0
|Aug high C = 36.9
|Sep high C = 31.8
|Oct high C = 24.5
|Nov high C = 16.0
|Dec high C = 9.7
|Jan mean C = 1.6
|Feb mean C = 4.4
|Mar mean C = 10.4
|Apr mean C = 17.2
|May mean C = 22.9
|Jun mean C = 29.3
|Jul mean C = 31.3
|Aug mean C = 29.2
|Sep mean C = 23.9
|Oct mean C = 16.9
|Nov mean C = 9.5
|Dec mean C = 4.4
|Jan low C = -2.4
|Feb low C = 0.0
|Mar low C = 5.7
|Apr low C = 11.6
|May low C = 15.7
|Jun low C = 20.9
|Jul low C = 23.3
|Aug low C = 21.5
|Sep low C = 16.3
|Oct low C = 10.6
|Nov low C = 4.1
|Dec low C = 0.0
|Jan record low C = −22.7
|Feb record low C = -23.1
|Mar record low C = −11.8
|Apr record low C = -2.1
|May record low C = 4.2
|Jun record low C = 12.5
|Jul record low C = 15.7
|Aug record low C = 12.6
|Sep record low C = 3.5
|Oct record low C = -2.0
|Nov record low C = −9.8
|Dec record low C = −20.0
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 44.0
|Feb precipitation mm = 56.5
|Mar precipitation mm = 76.7
|Apr precipitation mm = 54.4
|May precipitation mm = 29.8
|Jun precipitation mm = 0.1
|Jul precipitation mm = 1.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 0.3
|Sep precipitation mm = 0.1
|Oct precipitation mm = 7.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 23.7
|Dec precipitation mm = 28.4
|Jan rain days = 5
|Feb rain days = 6
|Mar rain days = 11
|Apr rain days = 10
|May rain days = 9
|Jun rain days = 1
|Jul rain days = 1
|Aug rain days = 0
|Sep rain days = 0
|Oct rain days = 3
|Nov rain days = 5
|Dec rain days = 6
|Jan snow days = 5
|Feb snow days = 4
|Mar snow days = 2
|Apr snow days = 0
|May snow days = 0
|Jun snow days = 0
|Jul snow days = 0
|Aug snow days = 0
|Sep snow days = 0
|Oct snow days = 0
|Nov snow days = 1
|Dec snow days = 2
|Jan sun = 114.4
|Feb sun = 114.6
|Mar sun = 158.9
|Apr sun = 201.0
|May sun = 276.5
|Jun sun = 332.1
|Jul sun = 340.2
|Aug sun = 315.5
|Sep sun = 289.7
|Oct sun = 221.8
|Nov sun = 169.3
|Dec sun = 118.3
|Jan humidity = 80
|Feb humidity = 75
|Mar humidity = 75
|Apr humidity = 71
|May humidity = 54
|Jun humidity = 31
|Jul humidity = 28
|Aug humidity = 29
|Sep humidity = 32
|Oct humidity = 44
|Nov humidity = 63
|Dec humidity = 76
|source = NOAA (1958-1983)<ref name=NOAA>{{cite web|url=ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/AH/40913.TXT|title=Kunduz Climate Normals 1958-1983|publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]]|access-date=25 December 2012}}</ref>
|date=September 2011
}}

== Demographics ==
{{Further|Demographics of Afghanistan}}
[[File:US Army ethnolinguistic map of Afghanistan -- circa 2001-09.jpg|250px|thumb|[[Ethnolinguistics|Ethnolinguistic]] groups of [[Afghanistan]]]]
The city of Kunduz has an estimated population of about 268,893 as of 2015.<ref name="soac1"/> Ethnic [[Pashtuns]] comprise the largest segment, followed by [[Uzbeks]], [[Tajiks]], [[History of Arabs in Afghanistan|Arabs]] and a few others.<ref name="Afghanistan Analysts Network"/><ref name="nps">{{cite web|url=http://www.nps.edu/Programs/CCS/Kunduz/Kunduz_Executive_2009.pdf |title=Kunduz Province |work=Program for Culture & Conflict Studies |publisher=[[Naval Postgraduate School]] |access-date=2014-01-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002214003/http://www.nps.edu/programs/ccs/Kunduz/Kunduz_Executive_2009.pdf |archive-date=2 October 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0311/feature2/images/mp_download.2.pdf|title=2003 National Geographic Population Map |work=Thomas Gouttierre, Center For Afghanistan Studies, [[University of Nebraska]] at Omaha; Matthew S. Baker, Stratfor |publisher=[[National Geographic Society]] |year=2003 |access-date=18 June 2017}}</ref> Kunduz is the capital of a highly diverse province that includes significant populations of Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks, [[Hazaras]], Arabs, [[Balochis]] and [[Turkmens]].<ref>{{cite journal |last=Bleuer |first=Christian |title=State-building, migration and economic development on the frontiers of northern Afghanistan and southern Tajikistan |journal=[[Journal of Eurasian Studies]] |date=1 January 2012 |volume=3 |issue=1 |pages=69–79 |doi=10.1016/j.euras.2011.10.008 |doi-access=free}}</ref>

[[History of Arabs in Afghanistan|Kunduz Arabs]] speak Persian and Pashto, Afghanistan's two official languages, rather than [[Arabic]]. However, they claim a strong Arab identity, based on their tribal origins in [[Arabia]]. This may in fact point to the seventh-century and eighth-century migration to this and other Central Asian locales of many Arab tribes from Arabia in the wake of the Islamic conquests of the region.<ref>{{citation |author=Barfield, T.J. |year=1981 |title=The Central Asian Arabs of Afghanistan: Pastoral Nomadism in Transition |publisher=University of Texas Press |isbn=9780292710665 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=usKgVnMJMXUC}}</ref>

== Administration ==
[[File:Flughafen Kunduz.jpg|thumb|200px|Kunduz Airport]]
[[File:Afghan Business School Kunduz.jpg|thumb|Building of the Afghan Business School in Kunduz]]
Kunduz city is divided into 8 Districts ('Nahias') with a total land area of 11,206 hectares.<ref name="soac2"/>

The most influential leader of Kunduz was [[Arif Khan (warlord)|Arif Khan]], who was a governor of Kunduz Province and was shot dead in the city of Peshawar, Pakistan in the year 2000. Soon after the incident his brother Haji Omar Khan took his responsibility and was appointed as the Governor of Kunduz (2000–01).

== Sports ==
;Professional sports teams from Kunduz
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Club
! scope="col" | League
! scope="col" | Sport
! scope="col" | Venue
! scope="col" | Established
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[Pamir Zalmi]]
| [[Shpageeza Cricket League]]
| [[Cricket]]
| [[Kunduz Cricket Ground]]
| 2021
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[Mawjhai Amu F.C.]]
| [[Afghan Premier League]]
| [[Association football|Football]]
| [[Kunduz Ground]]
| 2012
|}

* '''Stadiums'''
** Kunduz Cricket Ground
** Kunduz Ground

== Notable people ==
*[[Haji Nazik Mir Khan]], a prominent businessman, land owner and tribal chief of the Zakhel tribe. Also notable for having a very close relationship with the royal family of King Zahir Shah.
*[[Sher Khan Nasher]], chief clan of ([[Ghilji]]) [[Kharoti]] [[Nasher clan|Nasher]] tribe
*Spinzar Cotton Company founders, Ghulam Sarwar Nashir, Haji Nazik Mir Khan Zakhel, and Raees Munawar Khan seen as the founding fathers of the province.
*[[Gholam Nabi Nasher]] Khan (1926–2010), parliamentarian
*[[Sayed Noorullah Murad]] (Afghan politician, member of federal cabinet, military commander & scholar) Imam Saheb district.
*[[Gulbudin Hekmatyar]], Afghan political leader, [[Afghans|Afghan]] politician, former [[mujahideen]] and drug trafficker.
*[[Javed Ahmadi]] (1992–), player of the [[Afghanistan national cricket team]]
*[[Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi]], former Afghan National Parliament Speaker.
*[[Farhad Darya]], Afghan singer

== See also ==
*[[List of cities in Afghanistan]]
*[[Farhad Darya]]
*[[2009 Kunduz airstrike]], (2015) [[Kunduz hospital airstrike]], [[Kunduz Trauma Centre]]
*[[Kunduz Airport]]
*[[Kunduz University]]
*[[Battle of Kunduz (2015)]]
*[[Battle of Kunduz (2016)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
*Dupree, Nancy Hatch (1977): ''An Historical Guide to Afghanistan''. 1st Edition: 1970. 2nd Edition. Revised and Enlarged. Afghan Tourist Organization.
*Thomas J. Barfield, The Central Asian Arabs of Afghanistan: Pastoral Nomadism in Transition. 1982.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Kunduz}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20150628124105/http://www.nps.edu/Programs/CCS/Kunduz/Kunduz.html Kunduz Province] by [[Naval Postgraduate School]]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20120716225339/http://medlem.spray.se/afghan/Kunduz_eng.htm Welcome to Kunduz, Allauddin]
*{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Kunduz|short=x}}

{{AfghanistanLargestCities}}
{{Kunduz Province}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Kunduz Province]]
[[Category:Cities in Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Cities in Central Asia]]
[[Category:Kunduz Province]]
[[Category:Populated places along the Silk Road]]
[[Category:Provincial capitals in Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Populated places with period of establishment missing]]

Hamid Karzai

2022-10-30T07:32:16Z

VoiceOfPeace6:

{{Short description|President of Afghanistan from 2002 to 2014}}
{{redirect|Karzai|the surname|Karzai (surname)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2016}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Hamid Karzai
| native_name = {{pb}}{{nobold|{{nq|حامد کرزی}}}}
| native_name_lang = ps
| honorific_prefix =
| order = 4th
| office = President of Afghanistan
| term_start = 13 July 2002
| term_end = 29 September 2014
| image = Hamid Karzai listens to Barack Obama in Kabul 2012 (cropped).jpg
| caption = Karzai at a conference in Kabul, May 2012
| predecessor = [[Burhanuddin Rabbani]]
| successor = [[Ashraf Ghani]]
| vicepresident = {{plainlist|
*[[Hedayat Amin Arsala]]
*[[Mohammed Fahim]]
*[[Nematullah Shahrani]]
*[[Karim Khalili]]
*[[Abdul Qadir (Afghan leader)|Abdul Qadir]]
*[[Ahmad Zia Massoud]]
*[[Yunus Qanuni]]
}}
| office1 = Chairman of the [[Afghan Interim Administration]]
| term_start1 = 22 December 2001<ref>{{cite web |title=Bonn Agreement |url=https://peacemaker.un.org/sites/peacemaker.un.org/files/AF_011205_AgreementProvisionalArrangementsinAfghanistan%28en%29.pdf |publisher=[[United Nations Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs]] |access-date=30 June 2022 |date=5 December 2001}}</ref>
| term_end1 = 13 July 2002
| 1blankname1 = Vice{{nbsp}}Chairman
| 1namedata1 = {{plainlist|
*[[Sima Samar]]
*[[Mohammed Fahim]]
*[[Muhammad Mohaqiq]]
*[[Mohammad Shakir Kargar]]
*[[Hedayat Amin Arsala]]
}}
| party = [[Independent politician|Independent]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1957|12|24|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Karz, Kandahar|Karz]], [[Kingdom of Afghanistan]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| father = [[Abdul Ahad Karzai]]
| spouse = {{marriage|[[Zeenat Karzai]]|1999}}
| children = 4
| alma_mater = [[Himachal Pradesh University]]
| nationality = Afghan
| website =
| battles = [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|War in Afghanistan]]
[[United States invasion of Afghanistan]]
*[[Battle of Tarinkot]]
*[[Fall of Kandahar]]
[[Taliban insurgency]]
}}

'''Hamid Karzai''' ({{IPAc-en|ˈ|h|æ|m|ᵻ|d|_|ˈ|k|ɑːr|z|aɪ}}; [[Pashto]]/{{lang-fa|حامد کرزی}}, {{IPA-ps|ˈhɑmɪd karˈzai}}, {{IPA-prs|ˈhɒːmɪd kaɾzeˈiː}}; born 24 December 1957) is an [[Afghans|Afghan]] [[Politician|statesman]] who served as the fourth [[president of Afghanistan]] from July 2002 to September 2014, including as the first elected president of the [[Islamic Republic of Afghanistan]] from December 2004 to September 2014. He previously served as Chairman of the [[Afghan Interim Administration]] from December 2001 to July 2002. He is the [[Khan (title)|chief]] (''khān'') of the [[Popalzai]] [[Durrani]] tribe of [[Pashtun tribes|Pashtuns]] in [[Kandahar Province]]. His used to serve as the senate member from Kandahar too.

Born in [[Kandahar]], Karzai graduated from [[Habibia High School]] in [[Kabul]] and later received a [[master's degree]] in [[India]] in the 1980s. He moved to [[Pakistan]] where he was active as a fundraiser for the [[mujahideen|Afghan rebels]] during the [[Soviet–Afghan War]] (1979–1989) and its aftermath. He briefly served as Deputy Foreign Minister in the [[Islamic State of Afghanistan]] government. In July 1999, Karzai's father was assassinated and Karzai succeeded him as head of the Popalzai tribe. In October 2001 the [[United States invasion of Afghanistan]] began and Karzai led the Pashtun tribes in and around Kandahar in an uprising against the [[Taliban]]; he became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001.<ref name="PBS">{{cite web|url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/asia/afghanistan/karzai.html |title=Profile:Hamid Karzai |publisher=[[Public Broadcasting Service]] (PBS) |date=December 2001|access-date=3 October 2010 |location=United States |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100116114230/http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/asia/afghanistan/karzai.html |archive-date=16 January 2010}}</ref> During the December 2001 [[International Conference on Afghanistan (2001)|International Conference on Afghanistan]] in Germany, Karzai was selected by prominent Afghan political figures to serve a six-month term as chairman of the [[Afghan Interim Administration|Interim Administration]].<ref name="AA">{{cite web|url=http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/kar0bio-1|title=Hamid Karzai|publisher=[[Academy of Achievement]]|access-date=3 October 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101213002201/http://achievement.org/autodoc/page/kar0bio-1|archive-date=13 December 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

He was then chosen for a two-year term as [[Acting president|interim president]] during the [[2002 loya jirga]] (grand assembly) that was held in Kabul, [[Afghanistan]]. After the [[2004 Afghan presidential election|2004 presidential election]], Karzai was declared the winner and became President of Afghanistan. He won a second five-year term in the [[2009 Afghan presidential election|2009 presidential election]]; this term ended in September 2014,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8337832.stm|title=Karzai declared elected president|work=BBC News|date=2 November 2009|access-date=31 January 2010|archive-date=24 July 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200724141100/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/8337832.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> and he was succeeded by [[Ashraf Ghani]].

During his presidency, Karzai was known in the international community for his charisma, his tribal robe and lambskin hat, and for being an alliance builder between Afghanistan's communities. In later years, his relationship with [[NATO]] and the United States became increasingly strained, and he has been accused several times of [[corruption]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Afghanistan election: profile of Afghan President Hamid Karzai|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6056559/Afghanistan-election-profile-of-Afghan-President-Hamid-Karzai.html|access-date=2020-11-15|website=The Telegraph|language=en-GB|archive-date=16 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616133048/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6056559/Afghanistan-election-profile-of-Afghan-President-Hamid-Karzai.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|date=2014-07-10|title=Profile: Afghanistan's President Hamid Karzai|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22612226|access-date=2020-11-15|archive-date=16 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616170325/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22612226|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2014-03-30|title=Hamid Karzai's tangled legacy: inept failure or anti-Taliban hero?|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/30/hamid-karzai-afghanistan-tangled-legacy-taliban|access-date=2020-11-15|website=The Guardian|language=en|archive-date=12 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112013850/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/30/hamid-karzai-afghanistan-tangled-legacy-taliban|url-status=live}}</ref> He called the Taliban his brothers and warned that the heavy-handed [[counterinsurgency]] in Afghanistan would only revive the [[Taliban insurgency]] against the [[Islamic Republic of Afghanistan|former Afghan government]], urging the US to instead focus on bringing Pakistan's support for the Taliban leadership to heel, but the US largely ignored his requests.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.france24.com/en/asia-pacific/20210820-with-taliban-talks-former-afghan-leader-karzai-makes-a-comeback|title=With Taliban talks, former Afghan leader Karzai makes a comeback|date=20 August 2021|website=France 24}}</ref> After the [[Fall of Kabul (2021)|Taliban takeover of Kabul]] in 2021, Karzai stated the Taliban did not capture the city by force, but rather were invited by him in order to prevent chaos.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/amp/the-ap-interview-karzai-invited-taliban-to-stop-chaos-/6355544.html|title=The AP Interview: Karzai 'Invited' Taliban to Stop Chaos|website=Voice of America}}</ref> He said that in order to gain [[Recognition of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan|international recognition]], the new Taliban government needed internal legitimacy, which could be achieved through a [[general election]] or ''[[loya jirga]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.voanews.com/amp/exclusive-interview-karzai-says-taliban-s-international-recognition-requires-internal-legitimacy/6274709.html|title=Exclusive Interview: Karzai Says Taliban's International Recognition Requires Internal Legitimacy|website=Voice of America}}</ref>

==Early life and beginning of political career==
Karzai was born on 24 December 1957 in the [[Karz, Kandahar|Karz]] area of [[Kandahar|Kandahar City]] in southern Afghanistan.<ref name=theguardian>{{Cite news|first=Jason|last=Burke|title=Hard man in a hard country|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jul/20/afghanistan?gusrc=rss&feed=global|work=The Guardian|location=UK|date=7 March 2008|access-date=14 March 2009|archive-date=2 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002173328/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jul/20/afghanistan?gusrc=rss&feed=global|url-status=live}}</ref> He is an ethnic [[Pashtun people|Pashtun]] descended from the [[Khan (title)|khans]], or traditional chiefs, of the [[Popalzai]] [[Pashtun tribes|Pashtun tribe]]. His father, [[Abdul Ahad Karzai]], served as the [[House of the People (Afghanistan)|Deputy Speaker of the Afghan Parliament]] during the 1960s. His grandfather, Khair Mohammad Khan, had fought in the 1919 [[Third Anglo-Afghan War]] and was the [[House of Elders|Deputy Speaker of the Senate]]. The [[Karzai (surname)|Karzai]] family were [[monarchism|monarchists]] and remained strong supporters of [[Mohammed Zahir Shah]], the last [[List of heads of state of Afghanistan|king of Afghanistan]]. His uncle, [[Habibullah Karzai]], served as the Afghan representative at the UN<ref name="DyckAfghanistan">{{cite news|last1=Van Dyck|first1=Jere |title=The Afghan Rulers: Fiercely Traditional Tribes|work=The New York Times|page=2|date=21 December 1981|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/21/world/the-afghan-rulers-fiercely-traditional-tribes.html|access-date=3 October 2010|location=United States|archive-date=18 October 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121018120815/http://www.nytimes.com/1981/12/21/world/the-afghan-rulers-fiercely-traditional-tribes.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and is said to have accompanied King Zahir to the United States in the early 1960s for a special meeting with U.S. President [[John F. Kennedy]].

Hamid Karzai attended [[Mir Mahmud Hotaki|Mahmood Hotaki]] Primary School in Kandahar and [[Jamāl al-Dīn al-Afghānī|Sayed Jamaluddin Afghani]] School in [[Kabul]]. He graduated from [[Habibia High School]] in Kabul in 1976.<ref>{{cite web|title=Office of the President|url=http://www.president.gov.af/sroot_eng.aspx?id=166|publisher=Islamic Republic of Afghanistan|access-date=3 October 2010|location=Afghanistan|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101127092423/http://president.gov.af/sroot_eng.aspx?id=166|archive-date=27 November 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref> After graduating, he went to [[India]] as an exchange student in 1976, and studied for a master's degree in international relations and political science at [[Himachal Pradesh University]], obtaining his degree in 1983.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://president.gov.af/en/page/1043 |title=Biography – Office of the President |publisher=President.gov.af |access-date=22 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140907085823/http://president.gov.af/en/page/1043 |archive-date=7 September 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Karzai then moved to Pakistan and worked as a fundraiser for the [[anti-communist]] [[Afghan mujahideen|Afghan rebels]] during their [[Soviet–Afghan War|1980s uprising]] against the rule of Soviet-backed Afghan [[Mohammad Najibullah]].<ref name="bostonglobe">{{cite news|url=http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/05/22/afghan_presidents_brother_looks_back/|title=Afghan president's brother looks back|last=Stockman|first=Farah|date=22 May 2005|work=[[The Boston Globe]]|access-date=14 April 2009|archive-date=12 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512030151/http://www.boston.com/news/world/middleeast/articles/2005/05/22/afghan_presidents_brother_looks_back/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Hamid Karzai returned to Afghanistan in early October 1988, late in the war, to assist in the rebel victory in [[Tarinkot]]. He assisted in mobilizing the Popalzai and the other Durrani tribes and helped to drive Najibullah's regime from the city. Karzai also helped negotiate the defection of five hundred of Najibullah's soldiers.<ref>Tomsen, Peter. "The Wars of Afghanistan: Messianic Terrorism, Tribal Conflicts, and the Failure of Great Powers."</ref> When Najibullah's [[Democratic Republic of Afghanistan|pro-Soviet government]] collapsed in 1992, the [[Peshawar Accord]]s agreed upon by the Afghan political parties established the [[Islamic State of Afghanistan]] and appointed an interim government to be followed by general elections. Karzai accompanied the first mujahideen leaders into Kabul after President Najibullah stepped down in 1992.<ref name="observer">{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jul/20/afghanistan?gusrc=rss&feed=global|title=Hard man in a hard country|last=Burke|first=Jason|date=20 July 2008|work=The Observer|access-date=14 April 2009|location=London|archive-date=2 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002173328/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/jul/20/afghanistan?gusrc=rss&feed=global|url-status=live}}</ref> He served as [[Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Afghanistan)|Deputy Foreign Minister]] in the government of [[Burhanuddin Rabbani]]. Karzai was arrested, however, by [[Mohammad Fahim]] (who would later become Karzai's Vice President) on charges of spying for [[Gulbuddin Hekmatyar]] in what Karzai claimed was an effort to negotiate between Hekmatyar's forces and Rabbani's government. Karzai fled from Kabul in a vehicle provided by Hekmatyar and driven by [[Gul Rahman]].<ref>[http://www.nbcnews.com/id/43518438/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/t/karzai-surrounds-himself-anti-american-advisers/ Karzai surrounding himself with anti-US advisers] {{cbignore|bot=medic}}, by Kathy Gannon,</ref>

When the [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)|Taliban]] emerged in the mid-1990s, Karzai initially recognized them as the legitimate government because he thought that they would stop the violence and corruption in the country.<ref name="WashingtonPost-2008-02-10">{{Cite news|first=Ann|last=Marlowe|title=Two Myths About Afghanistan|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/10/AR2008021001972.html|newspaper=The Washington Post|location=United States|page=A13|date=11 February 2008|access-date=11 February 2008|archive-date=15 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080515201842/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/02/10/AR2008021001972.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He was requested by the Taliban to serve as their ambassador, but refused, telling friends that he felt Pakistan's [[Inter-Services Intelligence]] (ISI) was wrongly using them.<ref name="PBS" /> Karzai then wanted to represent the Taliban government for the [[UN]], but the Taliban leader did not trust Karzai due to him having many links with westerners. Karzai lived in the Pakistani city of [[Quetta]] among many other [[Afghans in Pakistan|Afghan refugees]], where he worked to reinstate former Afghan king Zahir Shah, meeting the king in Italy several times. He also visited the western embassies including the [[U.S. embassy in Islamabad]] several times, talking with UN diplomat [[Norbert Holl]], and attempted to gain American support for "modern, educated Afghans" to weaken the Taliban's views. Karzai's father was reportedly annoyed with him for not making clear-cut choices and wanting to be friends with everyone.<ref name="afghanistan-analysts.org">{{Cite web|date=2014-09-01|title=Book Excerpt: Scenes of Afghan History – Hamed Karzai before 2001|url=https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/en/reports/context-culture/scenes-of-afghan-history-hamed-karzai-before-2001/|access-date=2020-11-15|website=Afghanistan Analysts Network - English|language=ps-GB|archive-date=16 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200616161156/https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/en/reports/context-culture/scenes-of-afghan-history-hamed-karzai-before-2001/|url-status=live}}</ref>

In July 1999, Karzai's father, Abdul Ahad Karzai, was shot dead early in the morning while returning home from a [[mosque]] in Quetta. Reports suggest that the Taliban carried out the assassination.<ref name="PBS"/> Following this incident, Karzai took over as [[Khan (title)|khan]] of the tribe and decided to work closely with the anti-Taliban [[Northern Alliance]], which was led by [[Ahmad Shah Massoud]].<ref name="afghanistan-analysts.org"/>

In 2000 and 2001, he travelled to Europe and the United States to help gather support for the anti-Taliban movement. "Massoud and Karzai warned the United States that the Taliban were connected with [[al Qaeda]] and that there was a plot for an imminent attack on the United States, but their warnings went unheeded. On September 9, 2001, two days before the [[September 11 attacks]] in the US, Massoud was assassinated by al Qaeda agents in a suicide bombing."<ref name="bio">{{cite web |publisher=[[The Biography Channel]] |url=http://www.biography.com/people/hamid-karzai-537356?page=2 |title=Biography of Hamid Karzai: 9/11 and US Invasion |page=2 |access-date=7 September 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130527203208/http://www.biography.com/people/hamid-karzai-537356?page=2 |archive-date=27 May 2013 |url-status=dead }}</ref> As the [[United States Armed Forces|U.S. Armed Forces]] were preparing for a confrontation with the Taliban in September 2001, Karzai began urging [[NATO]] states to purge his country of al-Qaeda. He said in a BBC interview, "These Arabs, together with their foreign supporters and the Taliban, destroyed miles and miles of homes and orchards and vineyards... They have killed Afghans. They have trained their guns on Afghan lives... We want them out."<ref name="PBS"/>

==President and chairman of a transitional administration==
{{Further|List of Afghan Transitional Administration personnel}}
[[File:Hamid Karzai became winner at the 2002 Loya Jirga.jpg|thumb|Karzai appointed as President of the [[List of Afghan Transitional Administration personnel|Afghan Transitional Administration]] at the June 2002 [[loya jirga]] (grand assembly) in [[Kabul]], Afghanistan.]]Karzai had been a US [[Central Intelligence Agency|CIA]] contact, and was well regarded by the CIA.<ref name=":5">{{Cite book|last=Malkasian|first=Carter|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1240264784|title=The American war in Afghanistan : a history|date=2021|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|isbn=978-0-19-755077-9|location=New York|pages=76–78|oclc=1240264784}}</ref> After the [[United States invasion of Afghanistan|7 October 2001 launch of Operation Enduring Freedom]], the [[United Islamic Front for the Salvation of Afghanistan|United Front]] (Northern Alliance) worked with teams of [[Special Forces (United States Army)|U.S. special forces]] and together they overthrew the [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)|Taliban regime]] and mustered support for a new government in Afghanistan. Karzai and his group were in Quetta, where they began a covert operation.<ref>[http://www.time.com/time/asia/2003/journey/afghanistan.html Afghanistan] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110408191839/http://www.time.com/time/asia/2003/journey/afghanistan.html|date=8 April 2011}}, 18 August – 25 August 2003 issue of TIME magazine.</ref> Later, many would claim that at this moment the US decided that Karzai should be the next leader of Afghanistan.<ref name=":5" /> Before entering Afghanistan, he warned his fighters:

{{quote|We might be captured the moment we enter Afghanistan and be killed. We have 60 percent chance of death and 40 percent chance to live and survive. Winning was no consideration. We could not even think of that. We got on two motorbikes. We drove into Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/kar0pro-1|title=Profile: Hamid Karzai|publisher=Academy of Achievement|date=2 February 2005|access-date=31 January 2010|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100423173109/http://www.achievement.org/autodoc/page/kar0pro-1|archive-date=23 April 2010|df=dmy-all}}</ref>|Hamid Karzai|October 2001}}

Karzai gather several hundred fighters from his tribe, but were attacked by the Taliban. Karzai barely survived, and used his contacts with the CIA to call for an airlift.<ref name=":5" /> On 4 November 2001, [[United States special operations forces|American special operation forces]] flew Karzai out of Afghanistan for protection.<ref name="lose">"[https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/nov/07/afghanistan.terrorism1 Taliban lose grip on Mazar-i-Sharif]". ''[[The Guardian]]''. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917214935/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/nov/07/afghanistan.terrorism1 |date=17 September 2018 }}, 7 November 2001.</ref> On 5 December 2001, Hamid Karzai and his group of fighters survived a [[friendly fire]] missile attack by [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]] pilots in southern Afghanistan. The group suffered injuries and was treated in the United States; Karzai received injuries to his facial nerves, as can sometimes be noticed during his speeches.

[[File:Hamid Karzai at the US Congress on Capitol Hill.jpg|thumb|upright|Karzai speaking before the [[United States Congress|U.S. Congress]] in June 2004]]

In December 2001, political leaders gathered in Germany to agree on new leadership structures. Under 5 December [[Bonn Agreement (Afghanistan)|Bonn Agreement]], they formed an [[Afghan Interim Administration|Interim Administration]] and named Karzai Chairman of a 29-member governing committee. He was sworn in as the leader on 22 December. The [[loya jirga]] of 13 June 2002 appointed Karzai as Interim President of the new position as President of the [[Afghan Transitional Administration]].<ref>{{Cite news|last=Gall|first=Carlotta|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/20/world/a-buoyant-karzai-is-sworn-in-as-afghanistan-s-leader.html|title=A Buoyant Karzai is Sworn In as Afghanistan's Leader|work=The New York Times|date=20 June 2002|access-date=31 January 2010|archive-date=28 February 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100228162323/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/06/20/world/a-buoyant-karzai-is-sworn-in-as-afghanistan-s-leader.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Former members of the Northern Alliance remained extremely influential, most notably Vice President [[Mohammed Fahim]], who also served as the [[Ministry of Defense (Afghanistan)|Defense Minister]].

Karzai re-enacted the original coronation of [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] at the shrine of Sher-i-Surkh outside Kandahar, where he had leaders of various Afghan tribes, including a descendant of the religious leader (Sabir Shah) who originally selected Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747, as key players in this event.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Waldman|first=Amy|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/08/world/a-nation-challenged-politics-in-rite-of-past-afghans-see-way-to-forge-future.html|title=Karzai's coronation at Sher-i-Surkh|work=The New York Times|date=8 January 2002|access-date=31 January 2010|archive-date=11 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511213012/http://www.nytimes.com/2002/01/08/world/a-nation-challenged-politics-in-rite-of-past-afghans-see-way-to-forge-future.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Further evidence that Karzai views himself fulfilling a [[Durrani Empire|Durrani]] monarch's role arises from statements furnished by close allies within his government.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/magazine/09Karzai-t.html "Karzai's Labyrinth"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723110524/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/08/09/magazine/09Karzai-t.html |date=23 July 2016 }}. ''The New York Times''. Quote: "As such he's the last resort for those seeking to rectify injustice. 'In his dream he is a king,' one friend says."</ref> His late brother, Ahmed Wali Karzai, made statements to a similar effect.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091118/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan_karzai_s_brother Yahoo article about Ahmed Wali Karzai] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091121043748/http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091118/ap_on_re_as/as_afghanistan_karzai_s_brother |date=21 November 2009 }} "Yes, I am powerful because I am the president's brother," he Ahmed Wali Karzai said. "This is a country ruled by kings. The king's brothers, cousins, sons are all-powerful. This is Afghanistan. It will change but it will not change overnight."</ref>

As part of his efforts to unite Afghanistan's ethnicities, Karzai favored an [[Afghan clothing|Afghan dress]] that combines traditional design features from the various ethnics<ref>{{cite news |author1=Rod Nordland |title=The Afghan Leader's Hat, Always More Than Just Headgear, Is Losing Its Cachet |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/world/asia/27karzai.html |access-date=8 July 2021 |language=English |date=26 Jan 2010 |url-status=live |archive-date=10 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210610073134/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/world/asia/27karzai.html }}</ref> – [[Pashtuns|Pashtun]]-style long shirt and loose trousers, an outer robe popular among the [[Tajiks]] and [[Uzbeks]], and most distinctively a ''[[karakul (hat)|karakul]]'' hat worn by highlanders from the valley of [[Panjshir Valley|Panjshir]]. In 2002 designer [[Tom Ford]], who worked at the time for [[Gucci]], was quoted calling Karzai "the most chic man in the world".<ref>{{cite web |title=Karzai heads for hat trouble |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1956862.stm |website=BBC News |access-date=8 July 2021 |language=English |date=28 April 2002 |url-status=live |archive-date=14 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210414231049/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/1956862.stm }}</ref>

After Karzai was installed into power, his actual authority outside the capital city of [[Kabul]] was said to be so limited that he was often derided as the "Mayor of Kabul". The situation was particularly delicate since Karzai and his administration have not been equipped either financially or politically to influence reforms outside of the region around Kabul. Other areas, particularly the more remote ones, have historically been under the influence of various local leaders. Karzai has been, to varying degrees of success, attempting to negotiate and form amicable alliances with them for the benefit of Afghanistan as a whole, instead of aggressively fighting them and risking an uprising.{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}}

In 2004, he rejected an international proposal to end [[poppy production in Afghanistan]] through aerial spraying of chemical [[herbicide]]s, fearing that it would harm the economic situation of his countrymen. Moreover, Karzai's younger brother, [[Ahmed Wali Karzai]] – who partially helped finance Karzai's presidential campaign – was rumored to be involved in [[narcotic]] deals. [[James Risen]] of ''The New York Times'' and others<ref name="Mirage of the Good War">[[Tariq Ali]], New Left Review 50, March–April 2008. "[http://www.newleftreview.org/?page=article&view=2713|Afghanistan: Mirage of the Good War]"</ref> stated that Ahmed Wali Karzai may have been involved in the [[opium production in Afghanistan|Afghan opium and heroin trade]]. This was denied by Karzai, who called the charges political [[propaganda]] and stated he was a "victim of vicious politics."<ref name="risen">{{cite news|first=James|last=Risen|author-link=James Risen|title=Reports Link Karzai's Brother to Afghan Heroin Trade |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/world/asia/05afghan.html?ref=asia|work=[[The New York Times]] |location=United States |date=4 October 2008|access-date=5 October 2008}}</ref>

==2004 Afghan presidential election==
{{Main|2004 Afghan presidential election}}
[[File:Inauguration of President Hamid Karzai in December 2004.jpg|thumb|Karzai's inauguration on 7 December 2004, after winning the [[2004 Afghan presidential election|presidential election]].]]
When Karzai was a candidate in the October 2004 [[2004 Afghan presidential election|presidential election]], he won 21 of the 34 [[provinces of Afghanistan|provinces]], defeating his 22 opponents and becoming the first democratically elected leader of Afghanistan.

Although his campaigning was limited due to fears of violence, elections passed without significant incident. Following an investigation by the United Nations of alleged voting irregularities, the national election commission in early November declared Karzai winner, without a runoff, with 55.4% of the vote. This represented 4.3 million of the total 8.1 million votes cast. The election took place safely in spite of a surge of insurgent activity.<ref name="Democracy Is Born">{{Cite book |last=Matthew J. Morgan |title=A Democracy Is Born: An Insider's Account of the Battle Against Terrorism in Afghanistan |url=https://archive.org/details/democracyisborni0000morg |year= 2007 |publisher=Greenwood Publishing Group |isbn=978-0-275-99999-5 |access-date=16 September 2008 |df=dmy-all |url-access=registration }}{{Page needed|date=September 2010}}</ref>

Karzai was sworn in as President of the [[Islamic republic|Islamic Republic]] of Afghanistan on 7 December 2004, at a formal ceremony in Kabul. Many interpreted the ceremony as a symbolically important "new start" for the war-torn nation. Notable guests at the inauguration included the country's former King, [[Mohammed Zahir Shah|Zahir Shah]], three former U.S. presidents, and U.S. Vice President [[Dick Cheney]].

==Presidency==
{{Main|Presidency of Hamid Karzai}}

===First term (2004–2009)===
After winning a democratic mandate in the 2004 election, it was thought that Karzai would pursue a more aggressively reformist path in 2005. However, Karzai has proved to be more cautious than was expected. After his new administration took over in 2004, the [[economy of Afghanistan]] began growing rapidly for the first time in many years. Government revenue began increasing every year, although it is still heavily dependent on foreign aid.
[[File:Hamid Karzai with George and Laura Bush at Camp David.jpg|thumb|Karzai with former US President [[George W. Bush]] and wife [[Laura Bush]] at [[Camp David]] in 2007.]]
During the first term in [[Presidency of Hamid Karzai|Karzai's presidency]], public discontent grew about corruption and the civilian casualties in the [[War in Afghanistan (2001–present)|2001–14]]. In May 2006, an anti-American and anti-Karzai riot took place in Kabul which left at least seven people dead and 40 injured.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2006/may/29/afghanistan |title=Afghanistan: violence surges |work=The Guardian |location=UK |date=29 May 2006 |access-date=31 January 2010 |first=Mark |last=Tran |archive-date=30 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130830031740/http://www.theguardian.com/news/blog/2006/may/29/afghanistan |url-status=live }}</ref> In May 2007, after as many as 51 Afghan civilians were killed in a bombing, Karzai asserted that his government "can no longer accept" casualties caused by U.S. and [[NATO]] operations.<ref name="washingtonpost_May_3_2007">{{Cite news|date = 3 May 2007|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/02/AR2007050202757.html|title = Karzai Says Civilian Toll Is No Longer Acceptable|newspaper = [[The Washington Post]]|access-date = 1 May 2008|author = Pamela Constable|archive-date = 21 August 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080821065514/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/02/AR2007050202757.html|url-status = live}}</ref>
[[File:Hamid Karzai in February 2009.jpg|thumbnail|Karzai in February 2009]]
In September 2006, Karzai told the [[United Nations General Assembly]] that Afghanistan has become the "worst victim" of terrorism.<ref>RFE/RL, [http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/09/9d5c90e1-de6e-4def-a053-9ba2f0aa4747.html/ Karzai Says Afghanistan 'Worst Victim' Of Terrorism ] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080612085114/http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2006/09/9d5c90e1-de6e-4def-a053-9ba2f0aa4747.html |date=12 June 2008 }}</ref> Karzai said terrorism is rebounding in his country, with militants infiltrating the borders to wage attacks on civilians. He stated, "This does not have its seeds alone in Afghanistan. Military action in the country will, therefore, not deliver the shared goal of eliminating terrorism." He demanded assistance from the international community to destroy terrorist sanctuaries inside and outside Afghanistan. "You have to look beyond Afghanistan to the sources of terrorism," he told the UN General Assembly, and "destroy terrorist sanctuaries beyond" the country, dismantle the elaborate networks in the region that recruit, indoctrinate, train, finance, arm, and deploy terrorists. These activities are also robbing thousands of Afghan children of their right to education, and prevent health workers from doing their jobs in Afghanistan. In addition, he promised to eliminate opium-poppy cultivation in his country, which is possibly helping fuel the ongoing [[Taliban insurgency]]. He has repeatedly demanded that NATO forces take more care to avoid civilian casualties when conducting military operations in residential areas.<ref name="southcoast">{{cite web |date=18 October 2006 |url=http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/10-06/10-19-06/16world-nation.htm |title=Civilians reported killed by airstrikes as NATO hunts Taliban |publisher=[[The Standard-Times (New Bedford)|The Standard Times]] |access-date=1 May 2008 |last=Kathy Gannon |archive-date=30 June 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070630212724/http://archive.southcoasttoday.com/daily/10-06/10-19-06/16world-nation.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> In a September 2006 video broadcast, Karzai stated that if the money wasted on the [[Iraq War]] had been actually spent on rebuilding Afghanistan, his country would "be in heaven in less than one year".<ref name="msnbc">{{cite web|date= 24 September 2006|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/14986859|title=Karzai says U.S. underfunding Afghanistan|publisher=pub|access-date=11 December 2007|last=msnbc|quote=Iraq war money could have stabilized the nation against Taliban surge, he says|archive-date=30 July 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140730092242/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/14986859|url-status=live}}</ref>

===2009 re-election and second term===
{{Further|2009 Afghan presidential election}}
[[File:Karzai in Helmand.jpg|thumb|Karzai discussing security and development issues in [[Helmand Province]] on 2 January 2010.]]
On the eve of 20 August presidential election, Karzai seemed at once deeply unpopular but also likely to win the majority of the votes. He was blamed by many for the failures that plagued the reconstruction of Afghanistan after the toppling of the Taliban government in 2001, from the widespread corruption and the resurgence of the (neo-)Taliban to the explosion of the poppy trade. His unpopularity and the likelihood of his victory formed an atmosphere with a kind of national demoralization, which could discourage many Afghans from voting and dash hopes for substantial progress after the election.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/world/asia/26afghan.html "Afghan Leader Criticizes U.S. on Conduct of War"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081211222833/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/26/world/asia/26afghan.html |date=11 December 2008 }}, ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/world/asia/08karzai.html "Leader of Afghanistan Finds Himself Hero No More"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723110536/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/08/world/asia/08karzai.html |date=23 July 2016 }}, ''The New York Times''</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/world/asia/25karzai.html "Afghan Leader Outmaneuvers Election Rivals"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723110549/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/25/world/asia/25karzai.html |date=23 July 2016 }}, ''The New York Times''</ref>

In this second presidential election, Karzai was announced to have received over 50% of the votes. The election was tainted by lack of security, low [[voter turnout]] and widespread [[ballot stuffing]], intimidation, and other [[electoral fraud]].<ref name="Afghan commission orders first ballots invalidated">{{cite web|last=McDonald |first=Charlotte |url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i3xqZSi2U_mgENDm3TK0-yqI7I_g |title=Afghan commission orders first ballots invalidated |date=10 September 2009 |access-date=31 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100413122433/https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i3xqZSi2U_mgENDm3TK0-yqI7I_g |archive-date=13 April 2010 }}</ref>

Two months later Karzai accepted calls for a [[2009 Afghan presidential election#November 7 run-off election|second round run-off vote]], which was scheduled for 7 November 2009.<ref name="Karzai Agrees to 7 Nov Runoff in Afghanistan">[https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/world/asia/21afghan.html "Karzai Agrees to Nov.–7 Runoff in Afghanistan"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180814193933/https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/21/world/asia/21afghan.html |date=14 August 2018 }}, ''The New York Times''</ref><ref name="Hamid Karzai agrees to run-off amid fears of more violence and fraud">{{Cite news |last=Farmer |first=Ben |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6389109/Hamid-Karzai-agrees-to-run-off-amid-fears-of-more-violence-and-fraud.html |title=Hamid Karzai agrees to run-off amid fears of more violence and fraud |work=The Daily Telegraph |location=UK |date=20 October 2009 |access-date=31 January 2010 |archive-date=3 October 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181003013841/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6389109/Hamid-Karzai-agrees-to-run-off-amid-fears-of-more-violence-and-fraud.html |url-status=live }}</ref> On 2 November 2009, Karzai's run-off opponent, [[Abdullah Abdullah]], withdrew from the race and election officials announced the cancellation of the [[Two-round system|run-off race]]. Karzai, the only remaining contender, was declared the winner a short time later.<ref name="Karzai Gets New Term as Afghan Runoff Is Scrapped">{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/world/asia/03afghan.html|work=The New York Times|title=Obama Warns Karzai to Focus on Tackling Corruption|first1=Helene|last1=Cooper|first2=Jeff|last2=Zeleny|date=3 November 2009|access-date=4 May 2010|archive-date=11 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511225923/http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/03/world/asia/03afghan.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Karzai presented his first list of 24 cabinet nominees to the Afghan parliament on 19 December 2009; however, on 2 January 2010, the parliament rejected 17 of these. According to the parliament, most of the nominees were rejected due to having been picked for reasons other than their competency. A member of parliament said that they had been picked largely based on "ethnicity or bribery or money."<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8437677.stm |title=Afghan MPs reject most Karzai cabinet nominees |publisher=BBC |date=2 January 2010 |access-date=2 January 2010 |archive-date=3 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100103052030/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8437677.stm |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:2011 Afghan Independence Day-2.jpg|thumb|280px|Karzai at the 2011 [[Afghan Independence Day]] in Kabul, which is held every year on 19 August to commemorate Afghanistan's independence from [[British Raj|British]] control over its foreign affairs.]]

On 16 January 2010, the Afghan parliament rejected 10 of the Karzai's 17 replacement picks for the cabinet. MPs complained that Karzai's new choices were either not qualified for their posts or had close connections to Afghan warlords. Despite the second setback, by mid-January Karzai had 14 out of the 24 ministers confirmed, including the most powerful posts at foreign, defense and interior ministries.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8462916.stm|title=Afghan MPs reject many new Karzai cabinet nominees|publisher=BBC|date=16 January 2010|access-date=16 January 2010|archive-date=17 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100117110410/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8462916.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> Shortly afterward, the parliament began its winter recess, lasting until 20 February, without waiting for Karzai to select additional names for his cabinet. The move not only extended the political uncertainty in the government but also dealt Karzai the embarrassment of appearing at the [[International Conference on Afghanistan London 2010|London Conference on Afghanistan]] with nearly half of his cabinet devoid of leaders.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8464283.stm|title=Afghan cabinet vote delayed|publisher=BBC|date=17 January 2010|access-date=17 January 2010|archive-date=20 January 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100120033829/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8464283.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>

Since late 2001 Karzai has been trying for peace in his country, going as far as pardoning militants that lay down weapons and join the rebuilding process. However, his offers were not accepted by the militant groups. In April 2007, Karzai acknowledged that he spoke to some militants about trying to bring peace in Afghanistan.<ref name="foxnews_Peace_Talks">{{Cite news|date=24 September 2007|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297819,00.html?sPage=fnc/world/afghanistan|title=Afghan President Karzai Admits Seeking Peace Talks With Taliban|agency=Associated Press|access-date=11 May 2008|quote=UNITED NATIONS  — Afghan President Hamid Karzai said Sunday his government is working very hard on peace talks with the Taliban that would draw the insurgents and their supporters "back to the fold."|publisher=Fox News|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080423121222/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,297819,00.html?sPage=fnc%2Fworld%2Fafghanistan|archive-date=23 April 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref> He noted that the Afghan militants are always welcome in the country, although foreign insurgents are not.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17980166 |title=Karzai admits meetings with Taliban — Afghanistan |publisher=NBC News |date=6 April 2007 |access-date=31 January 2010 |archive-date=1 September 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150901083549/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/17980166 |url-status=live }}</ref> In September 2007, Karzai again offered talks with militant fighters after a security scare forced him to end a commemoration speech.<ref name="reuters-Sep-9-2007">{{Cite news|date=9 September 2007|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-29427920070909|title=Afghanistan's Karzai urges Taliban talks after scare|publisher=reuters|access-date=11 December 2007|archive-date=18 December 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191218014810/http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-29427920070909|url-status=live}}</ref> Karzai left the event and was taken back to his palace, where he was due to meet visiting Latvian President [[Valdis Zatlers]]. After the meeting, the pair held a joint news conference, at which Karzai called for talks with his Taliban foes. "We don't have any formal negotiations with the Taliban. They don't have an address. Who do we talk to?" Karzai told reporters. He further stated: "If I can have a place where to send somebody to talk to, an authority that publicly says it is the Taliban authority, I will do it."<ref name="reuters-Sep-9-2007"/>

In December 2009 Karzai announced to move ahead with a [[Loya Jirga]] (large assembly) to discuss the [[Taliban insurgency]] in which the Taliban representatives would be invited to take part in this Jirga.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.rferl.org/content/Karzai_To_Unveil_Afghan_Cabinet_In_Days/1896326.html |title=Karzai To Unveil Afghan Cabinet In Days |publisher=Rferl.org |date=6 December 2009 |access-date=31 January 2010 |archive-date=3 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303214451/http://www.rferl.org/content/Karzai_To_Unveil_Afghan_Cabinet_In_Days/1896326.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In January 2010, Karzai set the framework for dialogue with Taliban leaders when he called on the group's leadership to take part in the [[jirga]] to initiate peace talks. A Taliban spokesman declined to talk in detail about Karzai's offer and only said the militants would make a decision soon.<ref>{{Cite news |author1=Hamid Shalizi |author2=Abdul Malek |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60Q3IW20100129 |title=Taliban say no decision yet on Karzai offer of talks |work=Reuters |date=9 February 2009 |access-date=31 January 2010 |archive-date=22 May 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100522093538/http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE60Q3IW20100129 |url-status=live }}</ref> In April 2010, Karzai urged Taliban insurgents to lay down their arms and air their grievances while visiting a violent northern province, adding that foreign forces would not leave the country as long as fighting continued.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/04/10/karzai-casts-doubt-major-kandahar-offensive/|publisher=Fox News|title=Karzai Issues Open Invitation to Meet With Insurgents|date=11 April 2010|access-date=11 April 2010|archive-date=14 April 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100414232636/http://www.foxnews.com/world/2010/04/10/karzai-casts-doubt-major-kandahar-offensive/|url-status=live}}</ref> In July 2010, Karzai approved a plan intended to win over Taliban foot soldiers and low-level commanders.<ref>{{cite news |last=Oppel |first=Richard A. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/world/asia/02afghan.html |title=Karzai Approves Plan for Taliban Reintegration |location=Afghanistan |work=The New York Times |date=1 July 2010 |access-date=30 August 2011 |archive-date=13 August 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110813054952/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/02/world/asia/02afghan.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In mid-August 2013, Attorney General [[Mohammad Ishaq Aloko]] was said to have been fired after meeting with Taliban officials in the U.A.E. after being told not to meet with them. However, unnamed senior cabinet officials tried to persuade Karzai to not fire him, while an official in Aloko's office denied the dismissal saying instead that he was at the Presidential Palace "celebrating Independence Day."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/08/2013819125050729968.html |title=Afghan official 'fired' over Taliban talks – Central & South Asia |publisher=Al Jazeera English |date=19 August 2013 |access-date=22 March 2014 |archive-date=22 August 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130822035357/http://www.aljazeera.com/news/asia/2013/08/2013819125050729968.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Foreign relations===
{{Main|Presidency of Hamid Karzai#Foreign relations}}
{{See also|Foreign relations of Afghanistan|Politics of Afghanistan}}
[[File:Secretary Rice With Afghan President Hamid Karzai.jpg|thumb|Karzai with former U.S. Secretary of State [[Condoleezza Rice]] in June 2006.]]
[[File:Anders Fogh Rasmussen and Hamid Karzai in 2009.jpg|thumb|[[Anders Fogh Rasmussen]] with Karzai in 2009]]
[[File:Dmitry Medvedev in Uzbekistan 11 June 2010-13.jpeg|thumb|Karzai with [[President of Russia|Russia's President]] [[Dmitry Medvedev]] in 2010.]]
[[File:Msc2011 dett westerwelle karsai ischinger 0238.jpg|thumb|Karzai speaking at the [[Munich Security Conference|47th Munich Security Conference]] in 2011.]]
Karzai's relations with NATO countries was strong, especially [[Afghanistan – United States relations|with the United States]], due to the fact that it was the leading nation helping to rebuild war-torn Afghanistan. Karzai enjoyed a very friendly and strong strategic partnership with the United States, despite various disagreements. The U.S. had supported him since late 2001 to lead his nation. He has made many important diplomatic trips to the United States and other NATO countries. In August 2007, Karzai was invited to [[Camp David]] in [[Maryland]], USA, for a special meeting with U.S. President George W. Bush. The United States has set up a special envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan, which is headed by [[Marc Grossman]]. His task is to serve as a [[Mediation|mediator]] and solve issues between the three nations.

However, in later years the relations between U.S. and Karzai had become strained, particularly Karzai had been very critical of U.S. military because of their high-level of civilian casualties.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interview-karzai-says-12-year-afghanistan-war-has-left-him-angry-at-us-government/2014/03/02/b831671c-a21a-11e3-b865-38b254d92063_story.html | newspaper=The Washington Post | first=Kevin | last=Sieff | title=Interview: Karzai says 12-year Afghanistan war has left him angry at U.S. government | date=3 March 2014 | access-date=29 August 2017 | archive-date=24 July 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170724021614/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/interview-karzai-says-12-year-afghanistan-war-has-left-him-angry-at-us-government/2014/03/02/b831671c-a21a-11e3-b865-38b254d92063_story.html | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>[http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/16/22324740-civilian-deaths-spark-dispute-between-us-led-forces-afghan-president-karzai Civilian deaths spark dispute between US-led forces, Afghan President Karzai – World News] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323155716/http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/16/22324740-civilian-deaths-spark-dispute-between-us-led-forces-afghan-president-karzai |date=23 March 2014 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/afghanistan-civilian-casualties/ | work=Huffington Post | title=Afghanistan Civilian Casualties | access-date=6 April 2014 | archive-date=7 April 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140407100651/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/news/afghanistan-civilian-casualties/ | url-status=live }}</ref> In 2019 he described a "major fight" he had with American military officials back in 2007, when Karzai repeatedly told them: "If you want to fight terrorism and bad people, I won't stop you, but please leave the Afghan people alone". In a retrospective interview, Karzai claimed he felt that he was being used as a tool by the United States.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Constable|first=Pamela|title=Former Afghan leader Hamid Karzai grew estranged from his American allies during 10 years in power. Here's what he says about The Afghanistan Papers.|language=en-US|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/former-afghan-leader-hamid-karzai-grew-estranged-from-his-american-allies-during-10-years-in-power-heres-what-he-says-about-the-afghanistan-papers/2019/12/18/ef4ccb32-20dc-11ea-b034-de7dc2b5199b_story.html|access-date=2020-11-15|issn=0190-8286|archive-date=28 May 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200528165140/https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/former-afghan-leader-hamid-karzai-grew-estranged-from-his-american-allies-during-10-years-in-power-heres-what-he-says-about-the-afghanistan-papers/2019/12/18/ef4ccb32-20dc-11ea-b034-de7dc2b5199b_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Further strain in relations with the United States resulted in 2014, when Afghanistan, joined Cuba, Nicaragua, North Korea, Syria, and Venezuela as the only countries to recognize the [[Annexation of Crimea by the Russian Federation|Russian annexation of Crimea]]. The United States, European countries, and most other nations wholeheartedly condemned the Russian takeover, as well as the validity of the subsequent Crimean Referendum on its annexation to Russia. Citing "the free will of the Crimean people," the office of President Hamid Karzai said, "We respect the decision the people of Crimea took through a recent referendum that considers Crimea as part of the Russian Federation."<ref>[[New York Times]], [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/03/24/world/asia/breaking-with-the-west-afghan-leader-supports-russias-annexation-of-crimea.html.story Breaking With the West, Afghan Leader Supports Russia's Annexation of Crimea]. ''The New York Times,'' 23 March 2014.</ref>

Karzai's relations with neighboring Pakistan were good, especially with the [[Awami National Party]] (ANP) and [[Pakistan Peoples Party]] (PPP). He often describes his nation and Pakistan as "inseparable twin brothers", a reference to the [[controversy|disputed]] [[Durand Line]] border between the two states, despite the many border skirmishes that occurred during his presidency. In December 2007, Karzai and his delegates traveled to [[Islamabad]], Pakistan, for a usual meeting with [[Pervez Musharraf]] on trade ties and intelligence sharing between the two Islamic states.<ref>[[Pajhwok Afghan News]] (PAN), [https://archive.today/20070522044409/http://www.pajhwok.com/viewstory.asp?lng=eng&id=47628 "Islamabad, Kabul agree on intelligence cooperation"] . 27 December 2007.</ref> Karzai also met and had a 45-minute talk with [[Benazir Bhutto]] on the morning of 27 December, hours before her trip to [[Liaquat National Bagh]], where she was assassinated after her speech.<ref>PAN, [http://www.pajhwok.com/viewstory.asp?lng=eng&id=47687 "Bhutto, Karzai meeting proved the first & last one"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080527190431/http://www.pajhwok.com/viewstory.asp?lng=eng&id=47687 |date=27 May 2008 }}. 28 December 2007.</ref> After Bhutto's death, Karzai called her his sister and a brave woman who had a clear vision "for her own country, for Afghanistan, and for the region – a vision of democracy, prosperity, and peace."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1027483 |title=Bhutto assassinated |publisher=Caycompass |date=27 December 2007 |access-date=31 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512002151/http://www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CFPnews.cgi?ID=1027483 |archive-date=12 May 2011 }}</ref> In September 2008, Karzai was invited on a special visit to witness the swearing-in ceremony of [[Asif Ali Zardari]], who became the [[President of Pakistan]].<ref>''[[San Francisco Chronicle]]'', [https://archive.today/20120912154827/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/09/09/international/i004147D73.DTL Pakistan's Zardari sworn in as new president]</ref> [[Afghanistan–Pakistan relations|Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan]] have improved after the PPP party took over in 2008. The two nations often make contacts with one another concerning the war on terrorism and trade. Pakistan even allowed NATO forces stationed in Afghanistan to launch attacks on militant groups in Pakistan. This was something strongly opposed by the previous government of Pakistan. The two states finally signed into law long-awaited [[Afghanistan–Pakistan Transit Trade Agreement]] in 2011, intended to improve trade.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2010/11/29/afghan-pakistan-chamber-commerce-set |title=Afghan-Pakistan chamber of commerce set up |first=Abdul Qadir |last=Siddiqui |publisher=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=29 November 2010 |access-date=10 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727051041/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2010/11/29/afghan-pakistan-chamber-commerce-set |archive-date=27 July 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2010/12/05/pakistan-resolve-afghan-traders-problems |title=Pakistan to resolve Afghan traders' problems |first=Abdul Qadir |last=Siddiqui |publisher=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=5 December 2010 |access-date=10 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727051053/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2010/12/05/pakistan-resolve-afghan-traders-problems |archive-date=27 July 2011 }}</ref> Karzai acknowledges Pakistan's meddling in Afghanistan's wars, but said in a 2015 interview that Afghanistan wants a "friendly relationship but not to be under Pakistan's thumb."<ref>{{Cite web|date=2015-03-09|title=Hamid Karzai: Afghanistan should not give up control of its foreign policy|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/09/hamid-karzai-if-we-give-up-control-of-our-foreign-policy-pakistan-taliban-ashraf-ghani-india|access-date=2020-11-15|website=the Guardian|language=en|archive-date=8 November 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108095800/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/mar/09/hamid-karzai-if-we-give-up-control-of-our-foreign-policy-pakistan-taliban-ashraf-ghani-india|url-status=live}}</ref>

Karzai believed that [[Afghanistan–Iran relations|Iran is a friend]] although the U.S. often claims that neighboring Iran is meddling in Afghanistan's affairs.<ref>[[Los Angeles Times]], [http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-afghan-spies22-2009sep22,0,3144734.story U.S. says Pakistan, Iran helping Taliban] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090925043654/http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-afghan-spies22-2009sep22,0,3144734.story |date=25 September 2009 }}, ''The Los Angeles Times''</ref>

In 2007, Karzai said that Iran, so far, had been a helper in the reconstruction process.<ref name="news.com-at odds">{{Cite news |author=correspondents in Washington |url=http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22195371-23109,00.html |title=Karzai at odds with US over Iran |publisher=News |date=6 August 2007 |access-date=31 January 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007221510/http://www.news.com.au/story/0,23599,22195371-23109,00.html |archive-date=7 October 2008 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> He acknowledged in 2010 that the [[Politics of Iran|Government of Iran]] had been providing millions of dollars directly to his office.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101026/ap_on_re_as/as_afghan_iran_11|title=Karzai says his office gets cash from Iran, US}}</ref><ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/world/asia/26karzai.html "Karzai Rails Against America in Diatribe"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502225321/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/26/world/asia/26karzai.html |date=2 May 2017 }}, ''The New York Times''</ref> In October 2007, Karzai again rejected Western accusations against Iran, stating, "We have resisted the negative propaganda launched by foreign states against the Islamic Republic, and we stress that aliens' propaganda should not leave a negative impact on the consolidated ties between the two great nations of Iran and Afghanistan."<ref name="farsnews">{{cite web|date=20 October 2007 |url=http://english.farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=8607280722 |title=Karzai Underlines Strong Bonds between Iran and Afghanistan |publisher=Fars News |access-date=11 December 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071110222952/http://english.farsnews.ir/newstext.php?nn=8607280722 |archive-date=10 November 2007 }}</ref> Karzai added, "The two Iranian and Afghan nations are close to each other due to their bonds and commonalities, they belong to the same house, and they will live alongside each other for good."<ref name="IRNA">{{cite web|date=20 October 2007 |url=http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0710207137174726.htm |title=Karzai: Anti-Iran propaganda cannot have impact on Tehran-Kabul friendly ties Tehran |publisher=IRNA |access-date=11 December 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080203022328/http://www2.irna.ir/en/news/view/menu-236/0710207137174726.htm |archive-date=3 February 2008 |df=dmy }}</ref>

[[File:P032810PS-0305 (5307167575).jpg|thumb|[[Barack Obama]] meets with Karzai at the [[Presidential Palace]] in Kabul, Afghanistan.]]
Some international criticism has centered around the government of Karzai in early 2009 for failing to secure the country from Taliban attacks, systemic governmental corruption, and widespread claims of electoral fraud in the [[2009 Afghan presidential election]].<ref name="news.yahoo.com">[[Associated Press]], [https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090907/ap_on_re_as/eu_afghanistan_karzai_1 Karzai says U.S. 'attacking' him over election] {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref name="in.reuters.com">{{Cite news|url=http://in.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-43144720091014|title=Future Karzai cabinet to balance 'warlords' and West|date=14 October 2009|work=Salahuddin, Sayed|access-date=14 October 2009|archive-date=13 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813210053/https://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idINIndia-43144720091014?edition-redirect=in|url-status=live}}</ref> Karzai staunchly defended the election balloting, stating that some statements criticizing the balloting and vote count were "totally fabricated." He told the media that, "There were instances of fraud, no doubt... There were irregularities... But the election as a whole was good and free and democratic." He further went on to say that, "Afghanistan has its separate problems and we have to handle them as Afghanistan finds it feasible... This country was completely destroyed... Today, we are talking about fighting corruption in Afghanistan, improved legal standards... You see the glass half empty or half full. I see it as half full. Others see it as half empty."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091013/ap_on_re_as/us_us_afghanistan_karzai|title=Karzai staunchly defends Afghan election balloting}}</ref> A 2019 ''[[Washington Post]]'' report described Karzai as ruling a "corrupt" government that was tolerated by the United States.

In June 2010, Karzai travelled to [[Japan]] for a five-day visit where the two nations discussed a new aid provided by the hosting nation and the untapped mineral resources recently announced. Karzai invited Japanese companies such as [[Mitsubishi]] and others to invest in Afghan mining projects.<ref>{{cite news|last=Le|first=Adam |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?sid=a6WXwK9a_1SM&pid=20601087 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120720225925/http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?sid=a6WXwK9a_1SM&pid=20601087 |url-status=dead |archive-date=20 July 2012 |title=Karzai Invites Mitsubishi to Invest in Afghan Mining Projects|publisher=Bloomberg|date=19 June 2010|access-date=30 August 2011}}</ref> He told Japanese officials that Japan would be given priority in the bid to explore its resources. He stated, "morally, Afghanistan should give access as a priority to those countries that have helped Afghanistan massively in the past few years."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/37803781|title=Karzai: Japan gets priority in Afghan mining|publisher=NBC News|date=20 June 2010|access-date=30 August 2011|archive-date=13 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813210153/https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna37803781|url-status=live}}</ref> While in Japan, Karzai also made his first visit to [[Hiroshima]] to pray for the atomic bomb victims.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100619/wl_sthasia_afp/japanafghanistandiplomacynuclearwwii_20100619063609|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20100623151718/http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20100619/wl_sthasia_afp/japanafghanistandiplomacynuclearwwii_20100619063609 |url-status=dead |title=Karzai visits Hiroshima to pray for atomic bomb victims|archive-date=23 June 2010}}</ref> Japan has provided billions of dollars in aid to Afghanistan since the beginning of 2002.

On 16 July 2014, President Karzai held a special cabinet meeting where he condemned the [[2014 Israel–Gaza conflict|Israeli attacks on Gaza]] and the killings of civilians while pledging $500,000 USD in aid to [[Gaza Strip|Gaza]].<ref>{{cite web | url=http://president.gov.af/en/news/34839 | title=Afghanistan to assist $500,000 in show of sympathy to the people of Gaza | work=Office of the President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan | date=16 July 2014 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729015036/http://president.gov.af/en/news/34839 | archive-date=29 July 2014 | df=dmy-all }}</ref>

Relations between Karzai and India have always been friendly; he attended university there. [[Afghanistan–India relations]] began getting stronger in 2011, especially after the [[death of Osama bin Laden]] in Pakistan. In October 2011, Karzai signed a strategic partnership agreement with [[Prime Minister of India|Indian Prime Minister]] [[Manmohan Singh]]. During his speech at the ''RK Mishra Memorial'' in New Delhi, Karzai told the audience that "The signing of the strategic partnership with India is not directed against any country. It is not directed against any other entity. This is for Afghanistan to benefit from the strength of India."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/karzai-reassures-pakistan-over-india-alliance-152948013.html |title=Karzai reassures Pakistan over India alliance |agency=AFP |date=5 October 2011 |access-date=6 October 2011 }} {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

===Assassination attempts===
{{Main|Assassination attempts on Hamid Karzai}}
[[File:DEVGRU soldiers protecting Hamid Karzai.jpg|thumb|Bodyguards from ''[[United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group]]'' provide close protection for Karzai.]]
Many people have plotted to assassinate Karzai in the last decade, especially the Taliban's [[Quetta Shura]] and the Taliban-allied [[Haqqani network]] which allegedly receives support and guidance from Pakistan's [[Inter-Services Intelligence]] (ISI) spy network.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-condemns-us-comments-spy-agency-044440789.html;_ylt=A2KJ3vVYX3xOdRkA9EZXNyoA?rnd=005681253004174930714413 |title=Pakistan condemns US comments about spy agency |agency=Associated Press |date=23 September 2011 |access-date=23 September 2011 |archive-date=27 July 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130727053454/http://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-condemns-us-comments-spy-agency-044440789.html%3B_ylt%3DA2KJ3vVYX3xOdRkA9EZXNyoA?rnd=005681253004174930714413 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name="US-blames-Pakistan">{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-isi-urged-attacks-u-targets-officials-002201562.html |title=U.S. blames Pakistan agency in Kabul attack |agency=Reuters |date=22 September 2011 |access-date=22 September 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925075845/http://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-isi-urged-attacks-u-targets-officials-002201562.html |archive-date=25 September 2011 }}</ref> As recent as October 2011, while Karzai was visiting India to sign an important strategic partnership agreement with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Afghan agents of the [[National Directorate of Security]] (NDS) arrested 6 people in Kabul for planning to assassinate Karzai. Among those involved in the assassination plot were four [[Kabul University]] students and one of its professors, Dr. Aimal Habib, as well as Mohibullah Ahmadi who was one of the guards outside the Presidential Palace in Kabul.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Healy |first1=Jack |last2=Rahimi |first2=Sangar |title=Plot to Kill Afghan President Karzai Is Foiled |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/06/world/asia/plot-to-kill-afghan-president-karzai-is-foiled.html |access-date=2 January 2022 |work=The New York Times |date=5 October 2011}}</ref> The alleged group of assassins were associates of [[al Qaida]] and the Haqqani network, and were paid $150,000 by Pakistani-based Islamic terrorists.<ref>{{cite news |title=Afghan official: Karzai assassination plot foiled |agency=AP |first=Amir |last=Shah |date=6 October 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/oukwd-uk-afghanistan-karzai-idAFTRE79424Q20111005 |title=Plot to kill Afghan president foiled – agency |work=Reuters |first=Hamid |last=Shalizi |date=5 October 2011 |access-date=6 October 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Khetab |first1=Muhammad Hassan |title=Plot to kill president foiled; 6 detained |url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/10/05/plot-kill-president-foiled-6-detained |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=5 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130420170430/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/10/05/plot-kill-president-foiled-6-detained |archive-date=20 April 2013}}</ref> A U.S. official said that "Our understanding is that the threat against President Karzai was real, was credible, but it was only in the early stages of planning."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/10/07/plot-kill-karzai-was-real-credible-us |title=Plot to kill Karzai was real, credible: US |publisher=Pajhwok.com |date=7 October 2011 |access-date=22 March 2014 |archive-date=22 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322045746/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/10/07/plot-kill-karzai-was-real-credible-us |url-status=live }}</ref> The following is a list of other failed assassination attempts:
* 5 September 2002: An assassination attempt was made on Karzai in the city of Kandahar. A gunman wearing the uniform of the new [[Afghan National Army]] opened fire, wounding [[Gul Agha Sherzai]] (former governor of Kandahar) and an American Special Operations officer. The gunman, one of the President's bodyguards, and a bystander who knocked down the gunman were killed when Karzai's American bodyguards returned fire. Some pictures of the [[United States Naval Special Warfare Development Group]] (DEVGRU) responding to the attempt have surfaced.
* 16 September 2004: An attempted assassination on Karzai took place when a rocket missed the [[helicopter]] he was flying in while en route to the city of [[Gardez]] in eastern Afghanistan.
* 10 June 2007: Taliban insurgents attempted to assassinate Karzai in [[Ghazni]] where he was giving a speech to elders. Insurgents fired approximately 12 rockets, some of which landed {{convert|200|m|yd}} away from the crowd. Karzai was not hurt in the incident and was transported away from the location after finishing his speech.<ref name="iht-2007-06-11">{{cite news|date=10 June 2007 |url=http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/11/asia/AS-GEN-Afghan-Violence.php |title=UN 'outraged' after assassination attempt on Karzai |agency=Associated Press |access-date=11 December 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208190934/http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/06/11/asia/AS-GEN-Afghan-Violence.php |archive-date=8 February 2008 }}</ref><ref name="timesonline">{{cite news|date=11 June 2007|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/asia/article1913019.ece|title=Taleban fail in rocket attempt on Karzai's life|work=The Times|location=UK|access-date=11 December 2007|last=Tim Albone in Kabul|archive-date=13 August 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813210119/https://www.thetimes.co.uk/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="bbc_Karzai_unhurt">{{cite news|date=10 June 2007|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6738201.stm|title=Karzai unhurt in Taleban attack|work=BBC News|access-date=1 May 2008|archive-date=19 August 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080819203904/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6738201.stm|url-status=live}}</ref>
* 27 April 2008: Insurgents, reportedly from the [[Haqqani network]], used [[automatic weapons]] and [[rocket-propelled grenade]]s to attack a military parade that Karzai was attending in [[Kabul]].<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/world/asia/28afghan.html "Karzai Escapes Attack in Kabul by Gunmen"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170516140636/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/28/world/asia/28afghan.html |date=16 May 2017 }}, ''The New York Times''</ref> Karzai was safe, but at least three people were killed, including a parliamentarian, a ten-year-old girl and a minority leader, and ten injured.<ref>Gopal, Amand, "[http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0601/p10s01-wosc.html The most deadly US foe in Afghanistan] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611150034/http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0601/p10s01-wosc.html |date=11 June 2009 }}", ''Christian Science Monitor'', 31 May 2009</ref><ref name="smh-attempt-on-karzais">{{cite news|date=28 April 2008 |url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/leaders-attack-attempt-on-karzais-life/2008/04/28/1209234703430.html |title=Leaders attack attempt on Karzai's life |work=Sydney Morning Herald |access-date=1 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501165958/http://www.smh.com.au/news/world/leaders-attack-attempt-on-karzais-life/2008/04/28/1209234703430.html |archive-date=1 May 2008 }}</ref><ref name="guardian_Karzai_survives">{{cite news|date=28 April 2008|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/apr/28/afghanistan|title=Karzai survives Taliban assassination attempt during military parade|work=The Guardian|location=UK|access-date=1 May 2008|last=Walsh|first=Declan|archive-date=30 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080430235554/http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/apr/28/afghanistan|url-status=live}}</ref> Others attending the event included government ministers, former warlords, diplomats and the military top brass, all of whom had gathered to mark the 16th anniversary of the fall of the Afghan communist government to the mujahideen.<ref name="MSNBC_Afghan_president_survives">{{cite web|date= 27 April 2008|url=http://www.nbcnews.com/id/24332573|title=Afghan president survives assassination bid|publisher=[[NBC News]]|access-date=1 May 2008|quote=ceremony to mark the 16th anniversary of Afghanistan's victory over the Soviet invasion|archive-date=11 October 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131011024432/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/24332573/|url-status=live}}</ref> Responding to the attack during the ceremony, the UN said the attackers "have shown their utter disrespect for the history and people of Afghanistan."<ref name="google_Afghan_president_escapes">{{cite web|year=2008 |url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hmW-4fUkegeSQ3uAx2VRfXwxQ-YA |title=Afghan president escapes deadly parade attack |access-date=1 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091002073227/http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5hmW-4fUkegeSQ3uAx2VRfXwxQ-YA |archive-date=2 October 2009 }}</ref> Taliban spokesman [[Zabiullah Mujahid]] claimed responsibility for the attack, stating, "We fired rockets at the scene of the celebration." He went on to say there were 6 Taliban at the scene and that 3 were killed. "Our aim was not to directly hit someone," Mujahed said when asked if the intention was to kill Karzai. "We just wanted to show to the world that we can attack anywhere we want to".<ref name="google_Afghan_president_escapes"/> The ability of the attackers to get so close to Karzai suggested they had inside help. Defense minister Wardak confirmed that a police captain was connected with the group behind the assassination attempt and that an army officer supplied the weapons and ammunition used in the attack.<ref>[https://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/world/asia/05afghan.html "Police and Army Officers Tied to Attempt on Karzai's Life"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723110645/http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/05/world/asia/05afghan.html |date=23 July 2016 }}. ''The New York Times''</ref> Warlord insurgent [[Gulbuddin Hekmatyar]] also reportedly claimed responsibility.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Chu|first=M. Karim Faiez and Henry|date=2008-04-28|title=Fears grow after attack on Karzai|url=https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Fears-grow-after-attack-on-Karzai-3286343.php|access-date=2020-11-15|website=SFGATE|language=en-US|archive-date=24 February 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190224002100/https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/Fears-grow-after-attack-on-Karzai-3286343.php|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Relations with the Taliban==
In a 2013 interview with [[Al Jazeera]] Hamid Karzai called the [[Taliban]] his 'brothers'. He claimed that the Afghan government and Afghan people did not want to eliminate the Taliban, but rather reintegrate the Taliban into society.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/karzai-on-taliban-im-still-calling-them-brothers/|title=Karzai on Taliban: "I'm still calling them brothers"|access-date=3 April 2013|publisher=CBS News|archive-date=3 April 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150403090732/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/karzai-on-taliban-im-still-calling-them-brothers/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/pressoffice/2013/04/20134413140692692.html|title=Afghan President talks to Al Jazeera|access-date=3 April 2013|publisher=Al Jazeera|archive-date=21 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130421074717/http://www.aljazeera.com/pressoffice/2013/04/20134413140692692.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It was not the first time he called the Taliban his brothers. Previously he called them brothers during his victory speech in 2009, a day after he was declared president.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/6495487/Hamid-Karzai-reaches-out-to-Taliban-brothers-in-Afghanistan.html|title=Hamid Karzai reaches out to 'Taliban brothers' in Afghanistan|access-date=3 November 2009|publisher=Telegraph UK}}</ref>

===Attack on Taliban training camp===
On 14 September 2015, provincial police chief Gen. Daud Ahmadi claimed that Hamid Karzai had stopped an attack on a Taliban training camp in [[Logar Province|Logar]] province of Afghanistan. The camp was used as a launching pad and a military operation was being planned to deal with the camp. However, Karzai stopped them from attacking the camp. Ahmadi further claimed there were around 200 militants who were being trained at the camp at that time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.khaama.com/karzai-had-ordered-not-to-attack-the-taliban-training-center-in-logar-1514/|title=Karzai had ordered not to attack the Taliban training center in Logar|access-date=14 September 2015|publisher=Khaama Press|archive-date=16 September 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150916030549/http://www.khaama.com/karzai-had-ordered-not-to-attack-the-taliban-training-center-in-logar-1514|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Post-presidency==
After the [[2017 Nangarhar airstrike]], Karzai condemned his successor, President [[Ashraf Ghani]], labeling him a traitor.<ref>{{cite news |author=Mujib Mashal |title=Calling Successor a 'Traitor', Afghan Ex-Leader Denounces U.S. Bombing |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/15/world/asia/hamid-karzai-afghanistan-us-bombing.html |date=15 April 2017 |access-date=16 April 2017 |archive-date=16 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416061846/https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/15/world/asia/hamid-karzai-afghanistan-us-bombing.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Following the fall of the [[Islamic Republic of Afghanistan]] to the Taliban on 17 August 2021, the leader of the Taliban-affiliated [[Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin|Hezb-e-Islami]] party [[Gulbuddin Hekmatyar]] met with Karzai and [[Abdullah Abdullah]], chairman of the High Council for National Reconciliation and former [[Chief Executive (Afghanistan)|chief executive]], in [[Doha]], seeking to form an interim government with the Taliban.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-16|title=Afghanistan's Hekmatyar says heading for Doha with Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah to meet Taliban - Al Jazeera |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/afghanistans-hekmatyar-says-heading-doha-with-karzai-abdullah-abdullah-meet-2021-08-16/|access-date=2021-08-18|website=Reuters|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Taliban met ex-Afghan leader Karzai, Abdullah Abdullah |url=https://www.brecorder.com/news/40114270 |agency=AFP|date=2021-08-18 |access-date=2021-08-18|website=Brecorder|language=en}}</ref>

In February 2022, Karzai condemned the [[Biden administration]]'s decision to unfreeze $7 billion of Afghan assets and to divide the money between humanitarian aid to Afghanistan and the victims of the September 11, 2001 attacks. Karzai labelled the decision as an "atrocity" and, while saying that Afghans sympathized with the victims of 9/11, the money belonged to the Afghan people, who had also suffered from the attacks' consequences.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Gul |first1=Ayaz |title=Karzai: US Money Seizure 'Atrocity' Against Afghans |url=https://www.voanews.com/a/karzai-us-money-seizure-atrocity-against-afghans-/6439855.html |access-date=3 March 2022 |work=[[Voice of America]] |date=13 February 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Perelman |first1=Marc |title=Hamid Karzai criticises US move to divide Afghan assets between aid and 9/11 victims |url=https://www.france24.com/en/tv-shows/the-interview/20220215-ex-afghan-president-karzai-believes-taliban-will-allow-girls-back-to-school |access-date=3 March 2022 |work=France 24 |date=15 February 2022}}</ref>

Karzai has been critical of the Taliban government's failure to fulfill promises regarding women's rights, and has asked the Taliban to reopen schools for girls. In an interview with [[CNN]], he has also decried the demand for women to wear a burqa and cover their faces.<ref>{{cite news |title=Ex-Afghan Prez Karzai decries Taliban's all-covering burqa decree |url=https://www.aninews.in/news/world/asia/ex-afghan-prez-karzai-decries-talibans-all-covering-burqa-decree20220522113959/ |access-date=22 May 2022 |work=ANINews |date=22 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Former Afghan president Karzai urges Taliban to reopen schools for girls |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/international/former-afghan-president-karzai-urges-taliban-to-reopen-schools-for-girls-122042600403_1.html |access-date=22 May 2022 |work=Business Standard |date=26 April 2022}}</ref>

==Personal life and tribal lineage==
[[File:Hamid Karzai at Kandahar in June 2010.jpg|thumb|upright|Karzai speaking at a [[shura]] to tribal and religious leaders in his native [[Kandahar]], in southern Afghanistan.]]

{{Further|Sadozai (Pastun tribe)|Durrani|Popalzai}}
In 1999, Hamid Karzai married [[Zeenat Karzai|Zeenat Quraishi]], a gynaecologist by profession who was working as a doctor with [[Afghan refugees]] living in Pakistan. They have a son, Mirwais, who was born in January 2007,<ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/afghanistan/Karzai-weeps-publicly-in-emotional.6555597.jp|title=Karzai weeps publicly in emotional call for peace in Afghanistan|publisher=Scotsman.com|date=29 September 2010|access-date=3 October 2010|location=Edinburgh|archive-date=11 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511110137/http://news.scotsman.com/afghanistan/Karzai-weeps-publicly-in-emotional.6555597.jp|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6302287.stm|title=Hamid Karzai becomes father at 49|date=26 January 2007|publisher=BBC|access-date=3 October 2010|archive-date=12 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110512100439/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6302287.stm|url-status=live}}</ref> a daughter, Malalai, born in 2012 and another daughter, Howsi, born in March 2014 in [[Gurgaon]], [[India]].<ref>{{cite news |author=Rao Jaswant Singh |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Afghan-President-Hamid-Karzais-baby-girl-born-in-Gurgaon-hospital/articleshow/31561550.cms |title=Afghan President Hamid Karzai's baby girl born in Gurgaon hospital |newspaper=The Times of India |date=7 March 2014 |access-date=22 March 2014 |archive-date=17 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140317033401/http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Afghan-President-Hamid-Karzais-baby-girl-born-in-Gurgaon-hospital/articleshow/31561550.cms |url-status=live }}</ref> He became a father once again at the age of 58 when another daughter was born in September 2016 in Apollo Hospital, New Delhi.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.saharasamay.com/world-news/676598380/hamid-karzai-became-father-for-his-fourth-child-.html |title=Hamid Karzai became father for his fourth child |access-date=5 September 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160905132552/http://www.saharasamay.com/world-news/676598380/hamid-karzai-became-father-for-his-fourth-child-.html |archive-date=5 September 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> According to a declaration of his assets by an anti-graft body, Karzai earns $525 monthly and has less than $20,000 in bank accounts.<ref>[https://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100620/india_nm/india494713 ''Asset list reveals Afghan president earns $525 a month''] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100624133952/http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20100620/india_nm/india494713 |date=24 June 2010 }}, Sayed Salahuddin for [[Reuters]]. June 2010.</ref> Karzai does not own any land or property.<ref>[http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_543224.html ''Karzai earns $727 a month (US$525)''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100623114943/http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_543224.html |date=23 June 2010 }} by Reuters. June 2010.</ref>

Karzai has six brothers, including [[Mahmood Karzai]] and [[Qayum Karzai]], as well as [[Ahmed Wali Karzai]], deceased, who was the representative for the southern Afghanistan region. Qayum is also the founder of the ''Afghans for a Civil Society''. Karzai has one sister, [[Fauzia Karzai]].<ref name="brothers">{{Cite news|url=http://articles.latimes.com/2001/dec/19/news/mn-16330|title=From Statesmanship to Capitalism, Afghan Family Leads|newspaper=LA Times|access-date=22 June 2010|last=Neuman|first=Johanna|date=19 December 2001|archive-date=11 May 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511195313/http://articles.latimes.com/2001/dec/19/news/mn-16330|url-status=live}}</ref> The family owns and operates several successful Afghan restaurants on the [[East Coast of the United States]] and in Chicago.

In initial biographical news reporting, there was confusion regarding his clan lineage; it was written that his paternal lineage derived from the [[Sadduzai]] clan.<ref>[http://www.theglobalist.com/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=3528 Globalist Story] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510173236/http://www.theglobalist.com/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=3528 |date=10 May 2013 }}. 3 June 2004.</ref> This confusion might have arisen from sources stating he was chosen as the [[tribal chief]] of the Popalzai.<ref>[http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/central/11/06/ret.attacks.karzai/ Taliban run-in highlights dangers for Afghan opposition leader] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130825163310/http://archives.cnn.com/2001/WORLD/asiapcf/central/11/06/ret.attacks.karzai/ |date=25 August 2013 }}. 6 November 2001.</ref> Traditionally, the Popalzai tribe has been led by members of the Sadozais.<ref name="TAC">[http://www.tribalanalysiscenter.com/freePDF/Pashtun%20Cultural%20Factors%20Limiting%20Warlord%20Development.pdf Tribal Analysis Center Pashtun Tribal Analysis] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130510205037/http://www.tribalanalysiscenter.com/freePDF/Pashtun%20Cultural%20Factors%20Limiting%20Warlord%20Development.pdf |date=10 May 2013 }}"The Durrani Popalzai tribe's Khan Khel, the Saddozai, failed to advance a competent family for leadership during the anti-Soviet period. Instead, they placed tribal leadership in the hands of Abdul Ahad Karzai, a member of a key family in the Shamizai subtribe. Following Abdul Ahad's assassination in 1999, his son, Hamid Karzai, inherited his father's mantle and can be expected to retain this tribal leadership position for the remainder of Afghanistan's conflict. Normally, the eldest son would have been selected to bear this tribal responsibility, but this son was living in the United States and was generally unavailable to serve as tribal leader."</ref> The first King of Afghanistan, [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]], was the leader of the Sadozais, and the Sadozai lineage continued to rule Afghanistan until 1826 when the [[Barakzai]]s ascended to the throne.

Karzai is believed to be from the Shamizai subtribe of the Popalzais.<ref name="TAC"/> His grandfather, Khair Muhammad Karzai, was a head of the Popalzai tribe from Kandahar who relocated to Kabul and ran the business of a guest house. This allowed Karzai's father Abdul Ahad, to gain a foothold in the royal family, and subsequently, the parliament. These actions and upwards movement within the Popalzai tribal system, led to the Karzai family furnishing a viable Shamizai clan alternative to Sadozai leadership in the aftermath of the Soviet invasion when the Sadozai clan failed to provide a tribal leader.<ref name="TAC"/><ref>[http://www.antiwar.com/orig/lohdi.php?articleid=12074 Bahlol Lodhi's bio of the Karzai family ascension] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100209143901/http://www.antiwar.com/orig/lohdi.php?articleid=12074 |date=9 February 2010 }}. 19 December 2007.</ref> He is often seen wearing a [[Karakul (hat)|Karakul hat]], something that has been worn by many Afghan kings in the past.<ref>{{Cite news|date=24 April 2002|url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,51034,00.html|title=Hamid Karzai's Famous Hat Made From Aborted Lamb Fetuses|publisher=Fox News|access-date=1 May 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080501230853/http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,51034,00.html|archive-date=1 May 2008|url-status=dead|df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=27 May 2007|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/bizfocus/archives/2007/05/27/2003362700/print|title=Karakuls burst upon the fashion world|work=The Taipei Times|access-date=1 May 2008|archive-date=6 November 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181106182750/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/bizfocus/archives/2007/05/27/2003362700/print|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=12 December 2000 |url=http://www.infurmation.com/press_detail.php?id=99 |title=HSUS Investigation Reveals Slaughter of Unborn and Newborn Lambs for Fur |publisher=[[Humane Society]] |access-date=1 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060531022711/http://infurmation.com/press_detail.php?id=99 |archive-date=31 May 2006 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|date=December 2000 |url=http://www.furcommission.com/news/newsF02d.htm |title=Transcript of NBC "Dateline" Feature on Karakul Production |publisher=Fur Commission |access-date=1 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080510115715/http://www.furcommission.com/news/newsF02d.htm |archive-date=10 May 2008 }}</ref>

Following the [[Fall of Kabul (2021)|Fall of Kabul]] in 2021, Karzai decided to remain in Kabul with his daughters and he appealed to the Taliban to respect his life and that of his family as well as the civilians in Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai, With Daughters, Appeals To Taliban To Protect People |url=https://www.indiatimes.com/news/world/former-afghanistan-president-hamid-karzai-with-daughters-appeals-to-taliban-to-protect-people-547334.html |access-date=16 August 2021 |work=India Times |date=16 August 2021}}</ref> While he met with Hekmatyar to discuss the formation of a future Afghan government, it is unclear whether Karzai will serve any role in such.

On 27 August 2021, prominent activist [[Fatima Gailani]] criticized him whereas the United States urged the Taliban to include him in the new government along [[Abdullah Abdullah]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Afghan activist says Ashraf Ghani and Joe Biden caused misery and chaos |url=https://www.dw.com/en/afghan-activist-says-ashraf-ghani-and-joe-biden-caused-misery-and-chaos/a-58998732 |access-date=27 August 2021 |work=[[Deutsche Welle]] |date=27 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Taliban planning 'inclusive caretaker gov't' in Afghanistan |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/8/27/exclusive-taliban-plans-inclusive-caretaker-govt-in-afghanistan |access-date=27 August 2021 |agency=[[Al Jazeera]] |date=27 August 2021}}</ref>

On 1 September 2021, sources close to the Taliban said that it was "unlikely" for Karzai to be part of the new government, with a spokesperson for the group saying that the group was "ready to recruit them", referring also to [[Abdullah Abdullah]] but added that the Taliban did not want "old horses" in apparent reference to Karzai.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Findlay |first1=Stephanie |last2=England |first2=Andrew |title=Former Afghan leader Hamid Karzai unlikely to be part of Taliban-led government |url=https://www.ft.com/content/874ff094-3baf-4e48-9aa7-245f3e5d5bf2 |access-date=2 September 2021 |work=[[Financial Times]] |date=1 September 2021|url-access=subscription}}</ref>

==Honorary degrees and awards==
[[File:Hamid Karzai with Jack Kingston.jpg|thumb|Karzai receiving a [[:wikt:commemorative|commemorative]] [[medal]]lion of 11 September 2001 attacks from [[Jack Kingston]]. The medallion was forged from steel salvaged from the [[World Trade Center site]].]]
Over the years Hamid Karzai has become a well recognized figure. He has received a number of awards and honorary degrees from famous government and educational institutions around the world. The following are some of his awards and honoraria.
* A [[:wikt:commemorative|commemorative]] [[medal]]lion of 11 September 2001 attacks from the [[United States House of Representatives]], presented to him by member of the House [[Jack Kingston]] on 29 January 2002.
* In June 2002, received the Golden Plate Award of the [[Academy of Achievement|American Academy of Achievement]] presented by Awards Council member [[James Earl Jones]] at the Achievement Summit at [[Dublin Castle]] in Dublin, Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|title= Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement |website=www.achievement.org|publisher=[[American Academy of Achievement]]|url= https://achievement.org/our-history/golden-plate-awards/#public-service}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title= The day I met Bill Clinton for a chat about the world|publisher= The Irish Times |url= https://achievement.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Irish-Times-June-3-2002.pdf}}</ref>
* An honorary doctorate in literature from [[Himachal Pradesh University]] in India, his alma mater, on 7 March 2003.
* On 6 June 2003, Karzai was created an [[List of honorary British knights|Honorary Knight Grand Cross]] of the [[Order of St Michael and St George]] by [[Queen Elizabeth II]].<ref name="bbc_6_June_2003">{{Cite news|date = 3 June 2003|url = http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2968994.stm|title = Queen gives Karzai knighthood|work = BBC News|access-date = 1 August 2008|archive-date = 19 August 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080819203903/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2968994.stm|url-status = live}}</ref>
* On 4 July 2004, Karzai was awarded the [[Liberty Medal|Philadelphia Liberty Medal]] in [[Philadelphia]], Pennsylvania. In his acceptance speech, Karzai stated: ''"Where Liberty dies, evil grows. We Afghans have learned from our historical experiences that liberty does not come easily. We profoundly appreciate the value of liberty...for we have paid for it with our lives. And we will defend liberty with our lives."''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.constitutioncenter.org/libertymedal/recipient_2004.html |title=2004 Recipient Hamid Karzai — Liberty Medal — National Constitution Center |publisher=Constitutioncenter.org |date=4 July 2004 |access-date=31 January 2010 |archive-date=3 November 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151103072327/http://constitutioncenter.org/libertymedal/recipient_2004.html |url-status=live }}</ref>
* On 22 May 2005, received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from [[Boston University]].<ref name="bu.edu">{{cite web|date=22 May 2005 |url=http://www.bu.edu/phpbin/news/releases/display.php?id=937 |title=Afghan president Hamid Karzai challenges Boston University graduates to be guided by humanity |publisher=[[Boston University]] |access-date=11 December 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060911150947/http://www.bu.edu/phpbin/news/releases/display.php?id=937 |archive-date=11 September 2006 }}</ref>
* On 25 May 2005, received an honorary degree from the Center for Afghan Studies at the [[University of Nebraska at Omaha|University of Nebraska — Omaha]].
* On 25 September 2006, received an honorary Doctor of Laws Degree from [[Georgetown University]].
* In June 2012, received an honorary Doctorate from [[Nippon Sport Science University]].
* [[Lovely Professional University]] conferred an honorary Doctorate on Karzai on 20 May 2013.

==Controversies==
In August 2011, Karzai pardoned dozens of child would-be suicide bombers, and in February 2012 some of the pardoned children were re-arrested attempting to commit suicide bombings in [[Kandahar Province]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/02/afghanistan-would-be-child-bombers-arrested-again.html |title=Months after pardon, would-be Afghan child bombers arrested again |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=13 February 2012 |access-date=22 March 2014 |archive-date=6 May 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140506081454/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/world_now/2012/02/afghanistan-would-be-child-bombers-arrested-again.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

Karzai has been accused of nepotism, corruption, electoral fraud, and being involved with his late half brother [[Ahmed Wali Karzai]] in the drug trade.{{Citation needed|date=August 2021}}

In 2009, Karzai antagonized the women's movement and NATO leaders by signing a draconian [[Shia Personal Status Law]] seen as legalizing [[marital rape]] within Afghanistan's minority [[Shia Islam|Shia Muslim]] community.<ref>Armstrong, Sally. (2014). Uprising: A New Age is Dawning for Every Mother's Daughter. (pp. 176-177). NY, NY: St. Martin's Press.</ref>

===Electoral fraud===
Under Karzai's administration, electoral fraud was so apparent that Afghanistan's status as a democratic state came into question.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/6c9ef53e-97ee-11de-8d3d-00144feabdc0.html |title=/ Comment / Opinion – Fraud endangers Afghan democracy |work=Financial Times |date=2 September 2009 |access-date=30 August 2011 |archive-date=13 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210813210053/https://www.ft.com/content/6c9ef53e-97ee-11de-8d3d-00144feabdc0 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11353711 |title=BBC News – Fraud and corruption fears in Afghanistan elections |publisher=BBC |date=17 September 2010 |access-date=30 August 2011 |archive-date=7 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120207224854/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11353711 |url-status=live }}</ref> Furthermore, a special court set up personally by Karzai in defiance of constitutional norms sought to reinstate dozens of candidates who were removed for fraud in the 2010 parliamentary elections by the Independent Electoral Commission.<ref>Rod Norland (23 June 2011). [https://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/24/world/asia/24kabul.html Afghan Court Ruling Seeks to Alter Election Results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160723110657/http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/24/world/asia/24kabul.html |date=23 July 2016 }}, ''The New York Times''.</ref>

===Financial ties with CIA and the government of Iran===
On 28 April 2013, ''[[The New York Times]]'' revealed that from December 2002 up to the publication date, Karzai's presidential office was funded with "tens of millions of dollars" of black cash from the [[CIA]] in order to buy influence within the [[Politics of Afghanistan|Afghan government]]. The article stated that "the cash that does not appear to be subject to the oversight and restrictions." An unnamed American official was quoted by ''The New York Times'' as stating that "The biggest source of corruption in Afghanistan was the United States."<ref name="nytimes1">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html|title=With Bags of Cash, C.I.A. Seeks Influence in Afghanistan|author=Matthew Rosenberg|newspaper=The New York Times|date=28 April 2013|access-date=29 April 2013|archive-date=28 April 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130428232309/http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/29/world/asia/cia-delivers-cash-to-afghan-leaders-office.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

On 17 June 2013, Senator [[Bob Corker]] put a hold on $75 million intended for electoral programs in Afghanistan after his inquiries of 2 May, 14 May and 13 June to the [[Obama Administration]] regarding the CIA "ghost money" remained unanswered.<ref name="Corker">''Senator puts hold on some Afghan aid over Karzai "ghost money"'', [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-afghanistan-congress-idUSBRE95G11F20130617] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151016132054/http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/06/17/us-usa-afghanistan-congress-idUSBRE95G11F20130617|date=16 October 2015}}, Reuters, 17 June 2013</ref>

Karzai also admitted that his office received millions of dollars in cash from the Iranian government.<ref>{{cite news |last=Shalizi |first=Hamid |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-afghanistan-karzai-idUSTRE69O27Z20101025 |title=Karzai says his office gets bags of money from Iran |work=Reuters |date=25 October 2010 |access-date=22 March 2014 |archive-date=22 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322061429/http://www.reuters.com/article/2010/10/25/us-afghanistan-karzai-idUSTRE69O27Z20101025 |url-status=live }}</ref> Karzai stated that the money was given as gifts and intended for renovating his Presidential Palace in Kabul. "This is transparent. This is something that I've even discussed while I was at Camp David with President Bush."<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.ctvnews.ca/karzai-confirms-iran-provides-his-office-with-cash-1.566949 |title=Karzai confirms Iran provides his office with cash |publisher=Ctvnews.ca |date=25 October 2010 |access-date=22 March 2014 |archive-date=22 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322051155/http://www.ctvnews.ca/karzai-confirms-iran-provides-his-office-with-cash-1.566949 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Corruption===
{{main|Corruption in Afghanistan}}
According to ''[[The New York Times]]'', many members of the Karzai family have mixed their personal interests with that of the state, and become hugely influential and wealthy by murky means.<ref>{{cite news |last=Risen |first=James |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/world/asia/06karzai.html |title=''The New York Times'' |location=Afghanistan |work=The New York Times |date=5 October 2010 |access-date=30 August 2011 |archive-date=27 October 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111027022925/http://www.nytimes.com/2010/10/06/world/asia/06karzai.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2012 Afghanistan was tied with Somalia and North Korea at the bottom of [[Transparency International]]'s [[Corruption Perception Index]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.transparency.org/cpi2012 |title=Transparency International's Corruption Perception Index 2012 |publisher=Transparency.org |access-date=22 March 2014 |archive-date=20 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140320044835/http://www.transparency.org/cpi2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> and it ranked 172/175 in 2014.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.transparency.org/country#AFG |title=2014 Corruption Perception Index |access-date=23 March 2015 |archive-date=24 May 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524182350/https://www.transparency.org/country#AFG |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Mahmoud Karzai]], the brother of President Karzai, was implicated in the 2010 [[Kabul Bank]] crisis. Mahmud Karzai was the 3rd largest shareholder in the bank with a 7% stake. Kabul Bank incurred huge losses on its investments in villas in [[Palm Jumeirah]] in [[Dubai]]. The real estate investments were registered in the name of Kabul Bank chairman, Sherkhan Farnood. Mahmud Karzai bought one such villa from Farnood for 7 million [[dirham]]s using money borrowed from Kabul Bank and in a matter of months sold it for 10.4 million dirhams.<ref name="wp-kabul-bank">{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/07/AR2010090706645.html|title=Karzai's brother financed Dubai property purchases through embattled Kabul Bank|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=8 September 2010|access-date=22 June 2012|first=Andrew|last=Higgins|archive-date=30 July 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130730225239/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/09/07/AR2010090706645.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Mahmud Karzai's purchase of the 7% stake in Kabul Bank was also financed entirely through money lent by Kabul Bank with the shares as collateral.<ref name="wp-kabul-bank"/>

Karzai has admitted that there is widespread corruption in Afghanistan, but has blamed the problem largely on the way contracts are awarded by the international community, and said that the "perception of corruption" is a deliberate attempt to weaken the Afghan government.<ref>{{cite news |last=Abawi |first=Atia |url=http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/06/15717342-exclusive-us-nato-behind-insecurity-in-afghanistan-karzai-says |title=EXCLUSIVE: US, NATO behind 'insecurity' in Afghanistan, Karzai says – World News |publisher=Worldnews.nbcnews.com |date=6 December 2012 |access-date=22 March 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140322044217/http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/12/06/15717342-exclusive-us-nato-behind-insecurity-in-afghanistan-karzai-says |archive-date=22 March 2014 |df=dmy-all }}</ref>{{sfn|Partlow|2016|page=203}}

===Unocal connection===
There has been much debate over Karzai's alleged consultant work with [[Unocal]] (Union Oil Company of California since acquired by [[Chevron Corporation|Chevron]] in 2005). In 2002, when Karzai became the subject of heavy media coverage as one of the front runners to lead Afghanistan, it was reported that he was a former consultant for them.<ref name="csmonitor">{{cite web|date=10 June 2002|url = http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0610/p01s03e-wosc.html|title = Afghan power brokers |work=[[The Christian Science Monitor]]| access-date =11 December 2007|author1=Ilene R. Prusher |author2=Scott Baldauf |author3=Edward Girardet |quote=...Karzai is a former employee of US oil company Unocal ... bidding for the lucrative contract to build an oil pipeline from Uzbekistan through Afghanistan |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070629145511/http://www.csmonitor.com/2002/0610/p01s03e-wosc.html |archive-date = 29 June 2007}}</ref><ref name="atimes">{{cite web|year = 2009|url = http://www.atimes.com/c-asia/DA29Ag02.html|title = Mr Karzai goes to Washington|publisher = [[Asia Times Online]]|access-date = 12 September 2009|last = Marc Erikson|quote = And one further thing both men have in common is that in 1996/97 they advised American oil company Unocal on the US$2 billion project of a Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan pipeline.|archive-date = 8 November 2009|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091108124230/http://www.atimes.com/c-asia/DA29Ag02.html|url-status = unfit}}</ref> Spokesmen for both Unocal and Karzai have denied any such relationship, although Unocal could not speak for all companies involved in the consortium.<ref name="globalsecurity"/> The original claim that Karzai worked for Unocal originates from a 6 December 2001 issue of the French newspaper ''[[Le Monde]]'',<ref name="globalsecurity">{{cite web|year = 2007|url = http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/afghanistan/karzai.htm|title = Hamid Karzai|publisher = globalsecurity|access-date = 11 December 2007|quote = The claim appears to have originated in the 9 December 2001 issue of the French newspaper Le Monde. Some have suggested that Karzai was confused with U.S. ambassador to Afghanistan Zalmay Khalilzad.|archive-date = 11 December 2008|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081211203925/http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/afghanistan/karzai.htm|url-status = live}}</ref> Barry Lane UNOCAL's manager for public relations states in an interview on the website Emperor's Clothes that, "He was never a consultant, never an employee. We've exhaustively searched through all our records."<ref name="emperors-clothes">{{cite web|date=9 July 2002|url=http://emperors-clothes.com/interviews/lane.htm|title=Emperor's clothes interviews Unocal Oil|publisher=Emperor's Clothes|access-date=12 September 2009|last=[[Jared Israel]] interviewing Barry Lane|quote=Jared Israel: The other thing that is being asserted everywhere is that Hamid Karzai, the current head of the Afghan 'government' once worked for you. Barry Lane: Yeah. Yeah, well that's probably one of the great urban legends. He never worked for us. Jared Israel: He didn't work for somebody else who worked for you? Barry Lane: No. No, not him. He was never a consultant, never an employee. We've exhaustively searched through all our records to try and find out where the hell that came from.|archive-date=10 March 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070310213712/http://emperors-clothes.com/interviews/lane.htm|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="usembassy.gov">{{cite web|year=2009 |url=http://cambodia.usembassy.gov/definition.html |title=Misinformation |work=[[USA.gov]] |publisher=[[United States Department of State]] |access-date=12 September 2009 |quote=all the company's records made it clear that Mr. Karzai was "never a consultant, never an employee" of Unocal. |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070211062904/http://cambodia.usembassy.gov/definition.html |archive-date=11 February 2007 }}</ref> Lane however did say that [[Zalmay Khalilzad]], the former [[United States Ambassador to the United Nations]], was a Unocal consultant in the mid-1990s.<ref name="seattletimes">{{Cite news|date=5 July 2004 |url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001972076_fahrenheit05.html |title=Analyzing "Fahrenheit 9/11": It's accurate — to a degree |work=Sumana Chatterjee and David Goldstein |access-date=12 September 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719034130/http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001972076_fahrenheit05.html |archive-date=19 July 2008 }}</ref>

===Taliban connection===
In October 2013, Karzai's administration and the Afghanistan Intelligence agency were found to be communicating with the Pakistani Taliban about the shifting of power that was expected to occur if the U.S. Forces withdrew in 2014.<ref>{{cite news |last=Desk |first=Web |url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/624306/us-catches-afghan-govt-red-handed-in-plotting-with-pakistani-taliban-report/ |title=US catches Afghan govt 'red handed' in plotting with Pakistani Taliban: Report |newspaper=The Express Tribune |date=29 October 2013 |access-date=22 March 2014 |archive-date=22 February 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222040323/http://tribune.com.pk/story/624306/us-catches-afghan-govt-red-handed-in-plotting-with-pakistani-taliban-report/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Karzai himself was in London at the time of the discovery, to participate in talks with Pakistan and the U.S. on the possible location of Taliban leader Mullah Baradar. At the time, it was unknown if Karzai was directly involved or even knew of such communications.

In May 2021, Karzai spoke with German newspaper ''[[Der Spiegel]]'', where he expressed his sympathy with the Taliban, criticized the role of the United States in Afghanistan and praised the role of the [[European Union]], at the same time, saying that the future of Afghanistan relies heavily on neighbor Pakistan.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Koelbl |first1=Susanne |title="We Afghans Are Just Being Used Against Each Other" |url=https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/former-afghanistan-president-hamid-karzai-we-afghans-are-just-being-used-against-each-other-a-81412b96-c7e5-4287-b423-fbc2b600f317 |access-date=5 June 2021 |work=[[Der Spiegel]] |date=22 May 2021 |archive-date=2 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210602122101/https://www.spiegel.de/international/world/former-afghanistan-president-hamid-karzai-we-afghans-are-just-being-used-against-each-other-a-81412b96-c7e5-4287-b423-fbc2b600f317 |url-status=live }}</ref> He also considered the Taliban "victims of foreign forces" and said that Afghans were being used to be "each against the other."<ref>{{cite news |title=Why Hamid Karzai considers Taliban as his 'brothers' |url=https://www.globalvillagespace.com/why-hamid-karzai-considers-taliban-as-his-brothers/ |access-date=5 June 2021 |agency=Global Village Space |date=24 May 2021 |archive-date=5 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210605122038/https://www.globalvillagespace.com/why-hamid-karzai-considers-taliban-as-his-brothers/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In November 2021, he told [[Yalda Hakim]] of ''[[BBC News]]'' that he considered the Taliban as "brothers".<ref>{{Cite news|title=Ex-Afghan president: The Taliban are my brothers|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-59505688|access-date=2021-12-02}}</ref>

===View on ISIS in Afghanistan===
{{POV section|date=February 2021}}
Hamid Karzai, during an interview with [[Voice of America]], claimed that [[Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province|ISIS]] in Afghanistan is a tool for the United States. He further claimed that he does not differentiate at all between ISIS and the United States.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newsweek.com/hamid-karzai-us-afghanistan-isis-taliban-russia-587031|title=War in Afghanistan: Former President Hamid Karzai Claim There Is No Difference Between ISIS And America|access-date=20 April 2017|magazine=Newsweek|author=Mirren Gidda|archive-date=21 April 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170421105418/http://www.newsweek.com/hamid-karzai-us-afghanistan-isis-taliban-russia-587031|url-status=live}}</ref> During an interview with [[Fox News]], Hamid Karzai claimed that ISIS in Afghanistan is a product of the United States. Karzai claimed that he routinely received reports regarding unmarked helicopters dropping supplies to support the terror faction. He asked for an explanation from the United States regarding the unmarked helicopter flights. He also claimed that the United States had made Afghanistan a testing ground for its weapons.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/us-aids-isis-says-afghanistans-former-president|title=US aids ISIS, says Afghanistan's former president|access-date=4 May 2017|publisher=Fox News|author=Hollie Mckay|archive-date=4 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104072828/https://www.foxnews.com/world/us-aids-isis-says-afghanistans-former-president|url-status=live}}</ref> Later on during an interview with [[Al Jazeera]], Hamid Karzai again criticized the United States. He accused the United States of working with ISIS in Afghanistan. Moreover, he said that the United States government had allowed ISIS to flourish in Afghanistan and that it had used ISIS as an excuse to drop the [[GBU-43]] (Mother of all Bombs) in Afghanistan.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/hamid-karzai-colluded-isil-afghanistan-171110191715544.html|title=Hamid Karzai: US colluded with ISIL in Afghanistan|access-date=11 November 2017|publisher=Al Jazeera|archive-date=17 March 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180317035713/https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/hamid-karzai-colluded-isil-afghanistan-171110191715544.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2017/nov/11/us-colluded-with-is-in-afghanistan-former-president-hamid-karzai-1698707.html|title=US colluded with IS in Afghanistan: Former president Hamid Karzai|access-date=11 November 2017|newspaper=New Indian Express|archive-date=4 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104021550/http://www.newindianexpress.com/world/2017/nov/11/us-colluded-with-is-in-afghanistan-former-president-hamid-karzai-1698707.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Hamid Karzai accused Pakistan of supporting ISIS during an interview with [[Asian News International|ANI]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=No doubt on Pakistan's role in supporting ISIS: Hamid Karzai - ANI News - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVM1FHzamSg&feature=youtu.be|access-date=2020-08-28|website=www.youtube.com|archive-date=1 December 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201201074742/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QVM1FHzamSg&feature=youtu.be|url-status=live}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
* In the movie [[War Machine (film)|War Machine]], Karzai was portrayed by [[Ben Kingsley]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://torontosun.com/2015/08/26/ben-kingsley-teaches-patricia-clarkson-how-to-drive-in-new-dramedy|title=Ben Kingsley teaches Patricia Clarkson how to drive in new dramedy|website=torontosun}}</ref>

==See also==
{{Portal|Afghanistan|Biography}}
* [[List of heads of state of Afghanistan|List of presidents of Afghanistan]]
* [[Politics of Afghanistan]]
* [[Mahmoud Karzai]]
* [[Ahmed Wali Karzai]]
* [[Kabul Bank]] crisis
* [[Afghan Peace Jirga 2010]]
* [[Kabul International Airport|Hamid Karzai International Airport]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Books/Articles==
* Dam, Bette. ''A Man and a Motorcycle'', Ipso Facto Publ., Sept. 2014.
* Dam, Bette. "The Misunderstanding of Hamid Karzai", ''Foreign Policy'', Oc.t 3, 2014.
* {{cite book |first=Joshua |last=Partlow |title=A Kingdom of Their Own: The Family Karzai and the Afghan Disaster |publisher=Knopf |year=2016 |isbn=978-0307962645 }}

==External links==
{{Commons|Hamid Karzai}}
{{Wikiquote}}
{{wikisource author}}
* {{Curlie|Regional/Asia/Afghanistan/Society_and_Culture/Politics/Politicians/Karzai%2C_Hamid}}
* {{C-SPAN}}

{{s-start}}
{{s-off}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Burhanuddin Rabbani]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[President of Afghanistan]]|years=2002–2014|order=4th}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Ashraf Ghani]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{Hamid Karzai}}
{{Presidents of Afghanistan}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Karzai, Hamid}}
[[Category:Hamid Karzai| ]]
[[Category:1957 births]]
[[Category:21st-century heads of state of Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Presidents of Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Karzai family|Hamid]]
[[Category:Afghan exiles]]
[[Category:Afghan expatriates in Pakistan]]
[[Category:Afghan anti-communists]]
[[Category:Habibia High School alumni]]
[[Category:Himachal Pradesh University alumni]]
[[Category:Honorary Knights Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George]]
[[Category:Mujahideen members of the Soviet–Afghan War]]
[[Category:Pashtun people]]
[[Category:People from Kandahar Province]]
[[Category:Afghan Sunni Muslims]]
[[Category:Anti-communism in Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Pashtun nationalists]]
[[Category:21st-century Afghan writers]]

Qarabagh, Afghanistan

2022-10-30T07:30:33Z

VoiceOfPeace6:

{{short description|Town in Ghazni Province, Afghanistan}}
{{distinguish|Qara Bagh, Kabul Province}}
{{More citations needed|date=May 2011}}
{{Infobox settlement


|official_name =Qarabagh
|native_name =قره‌باغ
|other_name =
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|pushpin_map = Afghanistan 
|pushpin_label_position =bottom
|pushpin_mapsize =300

|pushpin_map_caption =Location in Afghanistan
|coordinates = {{coord|33|11|48|N|68|6|28|E|region:AF|display=inline,title}}
|subdivision_type = Country
|subdivision_name = {{flag|Afghanistan}}
|subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Afghanistan|Province]]
|subdivision_type2 = [[Districts of Afghanistan|District]]
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|subdivision_name1 = [[Ghazni Province]]
|subdivision_name2 = [[Qarabagh District, Ghazni|Qarabagh District]]
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'''Qarabagh''' is a town located in [[Afghanistan]]. It is the administrative center of [[Qarabagh District, Ghazni|Qarabagh District]], [[Ghazni Province]]. Also a district in Kabul is named Qarabagh too.

==See also==
* [[Qarabagh District, Ghazni|Qarabagh District]]
* [[Ghazni Province]]

==References==
<references/>

{{Ghazni Province}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Populated places in Ghazni Province]]

{{Ghazni-geo-stub}}

Mazar

2022-10-30T07:29:43Z

VoiceOfPeace6:

'''Mazar''' of '''Al-Mazar''' may refer to:
{{TOC right}}


*[[Mazar (mausoleum)]]; often but not always Muslim mausoleum or shrine.

==Places==
*[[Mazar (toponymy)]], a component of Arabic toponyms literally meaning shrine, grave, tomb, etc.
*[[Mazar, Afghanistan]], a village in Balkh Province
*Mazar, Xinjiang, a [[Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County#Towns and villages|farm in Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County]], China
*[[Mazar, Arzuiyeh]], Kerman Province, Iran
*[[Mazar, Vakilabad]], Arzuiyeh County, Kerman Province, Iran
*[[Mazar, Baft]], Kerman Province, Iran
*[[Mazar, Markazi]], Iran
*[[Mazar, Razavi Khorasan]], Iran
*[[Mazar, South Khorasan]], Iran
*[[Mazar, Zirkuh]], South Khorasan Province, Iran
*[[Al-Mazar, Jenin]]
*[[Al-Mazar, Haifa]]
*[[Almazar (town)]], Uzbekistan
*[[Al Mazar al Shamali]], Jordan

==Other==
*[[Mazars]], a French-based professional services company.
*[[Mazar (surname)]]

== See also ==
*{{intitle|Mazar}}
*{{intitle|Al-Mazar}}
* [[Mazor (disambiguation)]]
* [[Mazer (disambiguation)]]

{{disambiguation|geo}}

Kandahar

2022-10-28T21:43:26Z

VoiceOfPeace6:

{{Short description|City in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan}}
{{About|the city in Afghanistan}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement

| name = Kandahar
| official_name =
| native_name = {{lang|ps|{{nq|کندهار}}}}
| other_name =
| settlement_type = [[List of cities in Afghanistan|City]]
| image_skyline = {{Photomontage
|photo1a = Kandahar City Aerial.jpg
|photo2a = KandaharMosque02.JPG
|photo2b = Mosque in Kandahar-2011.jpg
|photo3a = Baba Saab.JPG
|size = 275|border = 0}}
| image_caption = ''Top to bottom and left to right'': Skyline of Kandahar city, [[Mausoleum of Mirwais Hotak]], [[Tomb of Ahmad Shah Durrani|Mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani]], aerial view over the [[Mausoleum of Baba Wali]] with the [[Arghandab River]] in vicinity
| image_flag =
| image_seal = Kandahar50fs.png
| image_shield =
| image_map =
| map_caption =
| pushpin_map = Afghanistan#West Asia#South Asia#Asia
| pushpin_relief = yes
| pushpin_label_position = above
| pushpin_mapsize = 300px
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in Afghanistan
| coordinates = {{coord|31|37|12|N|65|42|57|E|region:AF|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
| subdivision_name = {{Flag|Afghanistan}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Afghanistan|Province]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Kandahar Province|Kandahar]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[Districts of Afghanistan|District]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Kandahar District|Kandahar]]
| established_title =
| established_date =
| government_type = [[Municipality]]
| government_footnotes =
| leader_title = Governor
| leader_name = Mohammad Yousaf Wafa
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 273.37
| area_land_km2 =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_percent =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m = 1010
| population_footnotes =
| population_total = 651,484<ref name=nsia>{{cite web |url=https://www.nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Estimated-Population-of-Afghanistan1-1400.pdf |title=Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2021-22 |author= |date=April 2021 |website= |publisher=National Statistic and Information Authority (NSIA) |access-date=June 21, 2021 |quote=|archive-date=24 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210624204559/https://www.nsia.gov.af:8080/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/Estimated-Population-of-Afghanistan1-1400.pdf |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| population_as_of = 2021
| population_density_km2 = auto
| population_urban =
| population_note =
| timezone = Afghanistan Standard Time
| utc_offset = +4:30
| timezone_DST =
| utc_offset_DST =
| postal_code_type =
| postal_code =
| area_code =
| website = {{URL|https://kandahar.gov.af}}
}}
'''Kandahar''' ({{IPAc-en|lang|ˈ|k|æ|n|d|ə|h|ɑ:r}}; {{Lang-ps| {{nq|کندهار}}}} Kandahār, {{Lang-prs| {{nq|قندهار}}}}, Qandahār) is a [[List of cities in Afghanistan|city]] in [[Afghanistan]], located in the south of the country on the [[Arghandab River]], at an elevation of {{cvt|1010|m|ft|sp=us}}. It is Afghanistan's second largest city after [[Kabul]], with a population of about 614,118.<ref name="auto">{{cite web |title=The State of Afghan Cities report2015 |url=http://unhabitat.org/books/soac2015/ |ref=UN-Habitat |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031111515/http://unhabitat.org/books/soac2015/ |archive-date=31 October 2015}}</ref> It is the capital of [[Kandahar Province]] as well as the de facto capital of the [[Taliban]], formally known as the [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan]]. It also happens to be the centre of the larger cultural region called [[Loy Kandahar]]. In 1709, [[Mirwais Hotak]] made the region an independent kingdom and turned Kandahar into the capital of the [[Hotak dynasty]]. In 1747, [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]], founder of the [[Durrani dynasty]], made Kandahar the capital of the [[Durrani Empire|Afghan Empire]].<ref name="infoplease">{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/world/A0826983.html |title=Kandahar |encyclopedia=[[Columbia Encyclopedia]] |access-date=9 January 2011 |archive-date=20 February 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210220104603/https://www.infoplease.com/encyclopedia/places/asia/afghanistan/kandahar |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.afghan-network.net/Culture/qandahar.html |title=The City of Kandahar |encyclopedia=Columbia Encyclopedia |access-date=9 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110515163409/http://www.afghan-network.net/Culture/qandahar.html |archive-date=15 May 2011 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Historically this province is considered as important political area for Afghanistan revelations.

Kandahar is one of the most culturally significant cities of the [[Pashtun people|Pashtuns]] and has been their traditional seat of power for more than 300 years. It is a major trading center for sheep, [[wool]], cotton, silk, [[felt]], [[food grain]]s, fresh and [[dried fruit]], and tobacco. The region produces fine fruits, especially [[pomegranate production in Afghanistan|pomegranates]] and grapes, and the city has plants for canning, drying, and packing fruit, and is a major source of [[cannabis (drug)#Marijuana|marijuana]] and [[hashish]].

The region around Kandahar is one of the oldest known human settlements. A major fortified city existed at the site of Kandahar, probably as early as {{circa}} 1000–750 BC,<ref name="books.google.com">F.R. Allchin (ed.), [https://books.google.com/books?id=Q5kI02_zW70C&pg=PA127 ''The Archaeology of Early Historic South Asia: The Emergence of Cities and States''] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501125746/https://books.google.com/books?id=Q5kI02_zW70C&pg=PA127 |date=1 May 2021 }} (Cambridge University Press, 1995), pp.127-130</ref> and it became an important outpost of the [[Achaemenid Empire|Achaemenid (Persian) Empire]] in the 6th century BC.<ref name="iranicaonline.org">Gérard Fussman, [http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kandahar-pre-islamic-monuments-and-remains "Kandahar II. Pre-Islamic Monuments and Remains"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171112185725/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kandahar-pre-islamic-monuments-and-remains |date=12 November 2017 }}, in ''Encyclopædia Iranica'', online edition, 2012</ref> [[Alexander the Great]] had laid-out the foundation of what is now ''[[Old Kandahar]]'' in the 4th century BC and gave it the [[Ancient Greek]] name Ἀλεξάνδρεια Ἀραχωσίας ({{transliteration|grc|[[Alexandria Arachosia|Alexandria]] of [[Arachosia]]}}).

Many empires have long fought over the city due to its strategic location along the trade routes of [[South Asia|southern]], [[Central Asia|central]] and [[western Asia]].

==Name==
The city was founded by [[Alexander the Great]] in 330 BC who named it [[Alexandria Arachosia|Alexandria in Arachosia]], which was the recorded name for this city until the Islamic conquest. It is suggested that the name ''"Kandahar"'' evolved from ''"Iskandar"'' pronounced as ''"Scandar"'' , in the local dialect version of the name [[Alexander]].<ref>John E. Hill, ''Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han dynasty, 1st to 2nd centuries AD''. BookSurge, Charleston, South Carolina, 2009. {{ISBN|978-1-4392-2134-1}}, pp. 517–518. This derivation, as that from Gondophares, was characterised as "philologiquement impossible" by P. Bernard, "Un probleme de toponymie antique dans l'Asie Centrale: les noms anciens de Qandahar", ''Studia Iranica'', tome 3, 1974 and ''Afghanistan Quarterly'', vol.33, no.1, June 1980/Spring 1359, pp.49–62, p59, n.10.</ref> The change of the name from ''"Scandar"'' to Candar is mentioned by the 16th-century Portuguese historian [[João de Barros]] in his most famous work, ''[[Décadas da Ásia]]''.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Barros |first1=João de |title=Da Asia De Joāo De Barros: Dos Feitos, Que Os Portuguezes Fizeram No Descubrimento, E Conquista Dos Mares, E Terras Do Oriente. Decada Quarta. Parte Segunda |date=1552 |publisher=Na Regia Officina Typografica |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=BPlgAAAAcAAJ&q=Jo%C3%A3o+de+Barros+scandar&pg=PA6 |language=pt |quote=Those who go from Persia, from the kingdom of Horaçam (Khorasan), from Bohára, and all the Western Regions, travel to the city which the natives corruptly call Candar, instead of Scandar, the name by which the Persians call Alexander.:ruptamente Candar, havendo de dizer Scandar, nome per que os Perfas chamam Alexandre, por elle (como efcreve Arriano ") edificar efia Cidade, e do feu nome fe chamou Alexandria fituada ... |access-date=2 October 2020 |archive-date=1 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501125637/https://books.google.com/books?id=BPlgAAAAcAAJ&q=Jo%C3%A3o+de+Barros+scandar&pg=PA6 |url-status=live }}</ref>
{{Blockquote|"Those who go from Persia, from the kingdom of Horaçam (Khorasan), from Bohára, and all the Western Regions, travel to the city which the natives corruptly call Candar, instead of Scandar, the name by which the Persians call Alexander."<ref name="Hobson Jobson Dictionary">[https://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:390.hobson Hobson Jobson Dictionary] {{Webarchive |url=https://archive.today/20120707232441/http://dsal.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/philologic/getobject.pl?c.0:1:390.hobson |date=7 July 2012 }}; ''The Practical Sanskrit-English Dictionary'', Vaman Shivram Apte, Motilal Banarsidass, Delhi, India, 1975, {{ISBN|81-208-0567-4}}; P. Bernard, "Une probleme de toponymie antique dans l'Asie centrale: les noms anciens de Qandahar", ''Studia Iranica'', tome 3 (fasc. 2) 1974, 171–185..</ref>|[[João de Barros]]|1552 AD}}

A [[folk etymology]] offered is that the word "kand" or "qand" in [[Persian language|Persian]] and [[Pashto language|Pashto]] (the local languages) is the origin of the word "[[candy]]". The name "Candahar" or "Kandahar" in this form probably translates to candy area. This probably has to do with the location being [[Soil Fertility|fertile]] and historically known for producing fine grapes, [[pomegranate production in Afghanistan|pomegranates]], [[apricot]]s, melons and other sweet fruits.{{Citation needed|date=June 2019}}

[[Ernst Herzfeld]] claimed Kandahar perpetuated the name of the [[Indo-Parthian]] king [[Gondophares]], who re-founded the city under the name Gundopharron.<ref>Ernst Herzfeld, ''Archaeological History of Iran'', London, Oxford University Press for the British Academy, 1935, p.63; Ernst Herzfeld, ''The Persian Empire: Studies in Geography and Ethnography of the Ancient Near East'', Wiesbaden, Steiner, 1968, p.335.</ref> An alternative etymology derives the name of the city from [[Gandhara]],<ref name="Hobson Jobson Dictionary" /> the name of an ancient Hindu-Buddhist kingdom located between the [[Kunar River]] and [[Indus River]], centred on the [[Peshawar Valley]].<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-HeJS3nE9cAC&q=gandhara+kunar+river&pg=PA135 |title=The Greeks in Bactria and India |isbn=9781108009416 |last1=Tarn |first1=William Woodthorpe |date=24 June 2010 |access-date=25 June 2021 |archive-date=25 June 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210625051153/https://books.google.com/books?id=-HeJS3nE9cAC&q=gandhara+kunar+river&pg=PA135 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==History==
{{History of Afghanistan}}

===Prehistory===
{{Further|Pre-Islamic period of Afghanistan}}
Excavations of prehistoric sites by archaeologists such as [[Louis Dupree (professor)|Louis Dupree]] and others suggest that the region around Kandahar is one of the oldest human settlements known so far.
{{Blockquote|Early peasant farming villages came into existence in Afghanistan ca. 5000 B.C., or 7000 years ago. Deh Morasi Ghundai, the first prehistoric site to be excavated in Afghanistan, lies {{cvt|27|km|0}} southwest of Kandahar (Dupree, 1951). Another [[Bronze Age]] village mound site with multiroomed mud-brick buildings dating from the same period sits nearby at Said Qala (J. Shaffer, 1970). Second millennium B.C. Bronze Age [[pottery]], copper and [[bronze]] horse trappings and stone seals were found in the lowermost levels in the nearby cave called Shamshir Ghar (Dupree, 1950). In the [[Seistan]], southwest of these Kandahar sites, two teams of American archaeologists discovered sites relating to the 2nd millennium B.C. (G. Dales, [[University of Pennsylvania Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology|University Museum, University of Pennsylvania]], 1969, 1971; W, Trousdale, [[Smithsonian Institution]], 1971 – 76). Stylistically the finds from Deh Morasi and Said Qala tie in with those of pre-[[Indus Valley civilisation|Indus Valley]] sites and with those of comparable age on the [[Iranian Plateau]] and in Central Asia, indicating cultural contacts during this very early age.<ref Name=Dupree3>{{Cite book |title=An Historical Guide to Afghanistan |last1=Dupree |first1=Nancy Hatch |volume=First Edition |year=1970 |publisher=Afghan Air Authority, Afghan Tourist Organization |location=Kabul |page=492 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T__DHAAACAAJ |access-date=2012-06-17 |archive-date=7 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507050410/https://books.google.com/books?id=T__DHAAACAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>|[[Nancy Dupree|N. Dupree]]|1971}}

British excavations in the 1970s discovered that Kandahar existed as a large fortified city during the early 1st millennium BC; while this earliest period at Kandahar has not been precisely dated via [[radiocarbon dating|radiocarbon]], ceramic comparisons with the latest period at the major [[Bronze Age]] city of [[Mundigak]] have suggested an approximate time-frame of 1000 to 750 BC.<ref name="books.google.com"/> This fortified city became an important outpost of the [[Achaemenid Empire]] in the 6th to 4th centuries BC, and formed part of the province of [[Arachosia]].<ref name="iranicaonline.org"/>

===Alexandria===
{{Further|Alexandria in Arachosia}}
The now "[[Old Kandahar]]" was founded in 330 BC by [[Alexander the Great]], near the site of the ancient city of [[Mundigak]] (established around 3000 BC). Mundigak served as the provincial capital of Arachosia and was ruled by the [[Medes]] followed by the Achaemenids until the arrival of the Macedonians. The main inhabitants of Arachosia were the ''[[Pakthas|Pakhtas]]'',<ref>Map of the [[Median Empire]] from the University of Texas in Austin, showing ''Pactyans'' in what is now Kandahar, Afghanistan ... [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/oriental_empire.jpg Link] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20031004232323/http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/oriental_empire.jpg |date=4 October 2003 }}</ref> an ancient Indo-Iranian tribe, who may be among the ancestors of today's [[Pashtuns]]. Kandahar was named ''[[Alexandria in Arachosia|Alexandria]]'', a name given to cities that Alexander founded during his conquests.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexandria/alexandria_arachosia.html |title=Alexandria in Arachosia |first=Jona |last=Lendering |publisher=LIVIUS – Articles on Ancient History |access-date=9 January 2011 |archive-date=15 June 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100615230642/http://www.livius.org/aj-al/alexandria/alexandria_arachosia.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>

Kandahar has been a frequent target for conquest because of its strategic location in Asia, controlling the main trade route linking the [[Indian subcontinent]] with the Middle East and Central Asia.<ref>Mentioned in Bopearachchi, "Monnaies Greco-Bactriennes et Indo-Grecques", p52. Original text in paragraph 19 of [http://www.parthia.com/parthian_stations.htm#PARTHIAN_STATIONS Parthian stations] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200531124126/http://www.parthia.com/parthian_stations.htm#PARTHIAN_STATIONS |date=31 May 2020 }}</ref> The territory became part of the [[Seleucid Empire]] after the death of Alexander. It is mentioned by [[Strabo]] that a treaty of friendship was established eventually between the Greeks and the [[Maurya Empire|Mauryas]] (Indians).<ref name=Dupree>{{cite web |url=http://www.aisk.org/aisk/NHDAHGTK05.php |title=An Historical Guide to Kabul – The Story of Kabul |author=[[Nancy Hatch Dupree]] / Aḥmad ʻAlī Kuhzād |publisher=American International School of Kabul |year=1972 |access-date=2010-09-18 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100830031416/http://www.aisk.org/aisk/NHDAHGTK05.php |archive-date=2010-08-30}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.livius.org/man-md/mauryas/mauryas.html |title=Maurya dynasty |first=Jona |last=Lendering |publisher=LIVIUS – Articles on Ancient History |access-date=9 January 2011 |archive-date=26 February 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120226183742/https://www.livius.org/man-md/mauryas/mauryas.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> The city eventually became part of the [[Greco-Bactrian Kingdom]] (250 BC – 125 BC), and continued that way for two hundred years under the later [[Indo-Greek Kingdom]] (180 BC – 10 AD). 
[[File:AsokaKandahar.jpg|thumb|left|[[Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription]] ([[Greek language|Greek]] and [[Aramaic]]) by Emperor [[Ashoka the Great|Ashoka]], from [[Chilzina]] in Kandahar, 3rd century BC.]]

While the [[Diadochi]] were warring amongst themselves, the Mauryas were developing in the northern part of the Indian subcontinent. The founder of the empire, [[Chandragupta Maurya]], confronted a Macedonian invasion force led by [[Seleucus I Nicator|Seleucus I]] in 305 BC and following a brief conflict, an agreement was reached as Seleucus ceded [[Gandhara]] and Arachosia and areas south of [[Bagram]] to the Mauryas. During the 120 years of the Mauryas in southern Afghanistan, Buddhism was introduced and eventually become a major religion alongside Zoroastrianism and local pagan beliefs.

Inscriptions made by Emperor Ashoka, a fragment of [[Edicts of Ashoka|Edict 13]] in Greek, as well as a full Edict, written in both Greek and Aramaic has been discovered in Kandahar. It is said to be written in excellent Classical Greek, using sophisticated philosophical terms. In this Edict, Ashoka the great uses the word [[Eusebeia]] ("[[Piety]]") as the Greek translation for the ubiquitous "[[Dharma]]" of his other Edicts written in [[Prakrit]].

===Islamic period===
{{Further|Islamic conquest of Afghanistan}}
[[File:The Surrender of Kandahar.jpg|thumb|upright|A [[Miniature (illuminated manuscript)|miniature]] from [[Padshahnama]] depicting the surrender of the [[Shi'a Islam|Shi'a]] [[Safavid dynasty|Safavid]] garrison at what is now [[Old Kandahar]] in 1638 to the [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] army of [[Shah Jahan]]]]

In the 7th century [[AD]], [[Islamic conquest of Afghanistan|Arab armies]] conquered the region with the new religion of Islam but were unable to succeed in fully converting the population. The leader of the expedition that conquered the city was [[Abbad ibn Ziyad]], who governed Sijistan between 673 and 681.<ref>{{EI2|article=ʿAbbād b. Ziyād|last=Zetterstéen|first=K. V.|volume=1|page=5}}</ref> In AD 870, [[Ya'qub-i Laith Saffari|Yaqub ibn Layth Saffari]], a local ruler of the [[Saffarids|Saffarid dynasty]], conquered Kandahar and the rest of the nearby regions in the name of Islam.

It is believed that the [[Zunbils|Zunbil dynasty]] were probably the rulers of the Kandahar region from the 7th century until the late 9th century AD.<ref>Excavations at Kandahar 1974 & 1975 (Society for South Asian Studies Monograph) by Anthony McNicoll.{{blockquote|The Zunbils ruled in the Kandahar area for nearly 250 years until the late 9th century AD.}}</ref> Kandahar was taken by [[Mahmud of Ghazni|Sultan Mahmud]] of [[Ghazni]] in the 11th century followed by the [[Ghurids]] of [[Ghor]].

Kandahar appears to have been renamed ''Teginābād'' in the 10th-12th centuries, but the origin of the new name is unclear. During this period, nearby [[Panjwayi District|Panjway]] served as the administrative center for the area. However, Kandahar was of much more strategic importance, to the extent that [[Minhaj-i-Siraj]] attributes the downfall of the [[Ghaznavids]] to the loss of Kandahar. The city's name was changed back to Kandahar by the 13th century, after [[Ala al-Din Husayn|Ala ad-Din Husayn Jahansuz]] sacked [[Lashkari Bazar]], near [[Lashkargah|Bost]]. Again, the reason for the name change is not clear.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Inaba |first1=Minoru |title=KANDAHAR iii. Early Islamic Period |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kandahar-early-islamic-period |website=Encyclopaedia Iranica |access-date=9 March 2020 |archive-date=21 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200221093955/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kandahar-early-islamic-period |url-status=live }}</ref>

Kandahar was besieged by a [[Mongol Empire|Mongol]] army in 1221, although [[Jalal ad-Din Mingburnu]] defeated them. In 1251, upon accession to the Mongol throne, [[Möngke Khan]] granted Kandahar, along with other lands in Afghanistan, to [[Shams-uddin Muhammad Kurt I|Shams ad-Din Mohammad Kart]] of the [[Kart dynasty]]. However, the city is mentioned as being under [[Chagatai Khanate|Chagatai]] control in 1260–61; Kandahar didn't come under Kart control until 1281. Later, in 1318, a Chagatai prince raised an army from Kandahar against the [[Ilkhanate|Ilkhanid]] governor of [[Sistan]].<ref name="KANDAHAR iv. From The Mongol Invasi">{{cite web |last1=Matthee |first1=Rudi |last2=Mashita |first2=Hiroyuki |title=KANDAHAR iv. From The Mongol Invasion Through The Safavid Era |url=http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kandahar-from-the-mongol-invasion-through-the-safavid-era |website=Encyclopaedia Iranica |access-date=9 March 2020 |archive-date=28 October 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141028132345/http://www.iranicaonline.org/articles/kandahar-from-the-mongol-invasion-through-the-safavid-era |url-status=live }}</ref> Kandahar was described by [[Ibn Battuta]] in 1333 as a large and prosperous town three nights journey from [[Ghazni]].<ref name=Batutta>{{Cite book |title=Travels in Asia and Africa, 1325–1354 |author=Ibn Battuta |edition=reprint, illustrated |year=2004 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=0-415-34473-5 |page=179 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zKqn_CWTxYEC&pg=PA179 |access-date=2012-08-04 |archive-date=2 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210702020838/https://books.google.com/books?id=zKqn_CWTxYEC&pg=PA179 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Timur the Great]], founder of the [[Timurid Empire]], captured Kandahar in 1383. He appointed his grandson [[Pir Muhammad bin Jahangir Mirza|Pir Muhammad]] as governor of Kandahar in 1390.<ref name="KANDAHAR iv. From The Mongol Invasi"/> Following his death in 1405, the city was ruled by other Timurid governors. Kandahar was entrusted to the [[Arghun Dynasty|Arghuns]] in the late 15th century, who eventually achieved independence from the Timurids. [[Guru Nanak]], the founder of [[Sikhism]], is believed to have visited the town (c. 1521 AD) during his important journey between Hindustan and [[Mecca]] in Arabia.

Tamerlane's descendant, [[Babur]], the founder of the [[Mughal Empire]], annexed Kandahar in 1508. In 1554, Babur's son, [[Humayun]], handed it over to the [[Safavid]] [[Shah Tahmasp]] in return of 12,000 soldiers he received from the Shah to reconquer India. In 1595, [[Humayun]]'s son [[Akbar the Great]] reconquered the city by diplomacy. Akbar died in 1605 and when this news reached the Persian court, Shah Abbas ordered his army to besiege the city which continued until early 1606 and finally failed due to the reinforcements sent by the Mughal Emperor [[Jahangir]] that forced the Safavid retreat. In the [[Mughal–Safavid War (1649–1653)|Mughal–Safavid War]], Kandahar was once again lost to the Safavids. In 1698, Mughals under [[Samandar Khan]] of [[Kalat State]] captured Kandahar again. Kandahar was regarded as important to the Mughal Empire because it was one of the gateways to India, and Mughal control over Kandahar helped to prevent foreign intrusions.<ref name="sen2">{{Cite book |last=Sen |first=Sailendra |title=A Textbook of Medieval Indian History |publisher=Primus Books |year=2013 |isbn=978-93-80607-34-4 |pages=151, 162, 169–170}}</ref>

The memory of the wars fought over Kandahar at this time is preserved in the epic poem ''Qandahār-nāma'' ("The Campaign Against Qandahār"), a major work of [[Saib Tabrizi]] which is a classic of Persian literature.

===Modern===
{{Further|Hotak dynasty|Durrani Empire}}

[[File:Kandahar fourthcity durrani.jpg|thumb|right|270px|This lithograph is taken from plate 23 of ''Afghaunistan'' by Lieutenant [[James Rattray]], 1848. He sketched Kandahar in December 1841 from the rooftop of the former residence of the province's governor, Sirdar Meer Dil Khaun, who was brother to the Emir. Pictured on the left is the tomb of Ahmed Shah Durrani and on the right the Bala Hissar (fort) and citadel.]]
[[Mirwais Hotak]], chief of the [[Ghilji]] tribe, revolted in 1709 by killing [[George XI of Kartli|Gurgin Khan]], an ethnic [[Georgian people|Georgian]] subject and governor of the Shia [[Safavid dynasty|Safavid]] Persians. After establishing the [[Hotak dynasty]] in Kandahar, Mirwais and his army successfully defeated subsequent expeditions by [[Kaikhosro of Kartli|Kay Khusraw]] and Rustam Khán. Mirwais resisted attempts by the Persian government who were seeking to convert the Afghans from [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] to the Shia sect of Islam. He died of a natural death in November 1715 and was succeeded by his brother [[Abdul Aziz Hotak|Abdul Aziz]], but after being suspected of giving Kandahar's sovereignty back to the Persians he was killed by his nephew [[Mahmud Hotak]].<ref name="Browne29">{{Cite web |url=http://persian.packhum.org/persian/pf?file=90001014&ct=29 |title=AN OUTLINE OF THE HISTORY OF PERSIA DURING THE LAST TWO CENTURIES (A.D. 1722–1922) |page=29 |work=Edward Granville Browne |publisher=Packard Humanities Institute |location=London |access-date=24 September 2010 |archive-date=11 October 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171011103441/http://persian.packhum.org/persian/pf?file=90001014&ct=29 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="Malleson">{{Cite book |title=History of Afghanistan, from the Earliest Period to the Outbreak of the War of 1878 |last1=Malleson |first1=George Bruce |year=1878 |publisher=Elibron.com |location=London |isbn=1-4021-7278-8 |page=227 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pqNGBEmHUd4C&pg=PA227 |access-date=27 September 2010 |archive-date=16 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170416125629/https://books.google.com/books?id=pqNGBEmHUd4C&pg=PA227 |url-status=live }}</ref>
[[File:Coronation of Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1747 by Breshna.jpg|left|thumb|250px|Painting by [[Abdul Ghafoor Breshna]] depicting the 1747 [[coronation]] of [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]], who is regarded as the [[List of national founders|founding father]] of Afghanistan ([[Father of the Nation]]).]]
[[File:Kandahar-1881.jpg|left|thumb|250px|[[British Raj|British]] and [[Afghan National Army|allied forces]] at Kandahar after the 1880 [[Battle of Kandahar (1880)|Battle of Kandahar]], during the [[Second Anglo-Afghan War]]. The large defensive wall around the city was finally removed in the early 1930s by the order of King [[Mohammed Nadir Shah|Nader Khan]], the father of King [[Mohammed Zahir Shah|Zahir Shah]].]]
In 1722, Mahmud led an army of Afghans to the Safavid capital [[Isfahan]] and proclaimed himself King of Persia. The [[Hotak dynasty]] was eventually removed from power by a new Persian ruler, [[Nader Shah]]. In 1738, Nader Shah invaded Afghanistan and destroyed the now ''[[Old Kandahar]]'', which was held by [[Hussain Hotak]] and his [[Ghilji]] tribes.<ref>{{Cite encyclopedia |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/7798/Afghanistan/21392/Last-Afghan-empire |title=Last Afghan empire |encyclopedia=Louis Dupree, Nancy H. Dupree and others |publisher=Encyclopædia Britannica Online |access-date=24 September 2010 |archive-date=30 November 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101130150119/http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/7798/Afghanistan/21392/Last-Afghan-empire |url-status=live }}</ref> In the meantime, Nader Shah freed [[Ahmad Shah Durrani|Ahmad Khan]] (later [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]]) and his brother Zulfikar who were held prisoners by the Hotak ruler. Before leaving southern Afghanistan for Delhi in India, Nader Shah laid out the foundation for a new town to be built next to the destroyed ancient city, naming it "[[Naderabad, Kandahar|Naderabad]]". His rule ended in June 1747 after being murdered by his Persian guards.<ref>''The Afghans'' (2002) by [[Willem Vogelsang]]. Page 228.</ref>

Ahmad Shah Durrani, chief of the [[Durrani]] tribe, gained control of Kandahar and made it the capital of his new [[Durrani Empire|Afghan Empire]] in October 1747. Initially, Ahmad Shah had trouble finding land on which to build his city. His own tribe had no extensive lands and others who had, such as the Alikozai and Barakzai, refused to give up their lands. Only the Popalzai finally offered him his pick of their lands. The foundations for the city were laid in June, 1761.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dupree |first=Nancy |date=1977 |title=An Historical Guide to Afghanistan |publisher=Jagra, Ltd. |page=281}}</ref> Once begun, the city was built with grand proportions. It was laid out in the form of a regular rectangle with a circumference of three miles; walls 30 feet thick at the bottom and 15 feet at the top, rose 27 feet high to enclose it. Outside, the walls were ringed by a moat 24 feet wide. Six mammoth gateways pierced these walls: the Eid Gah Gate on the north, the Shikarpur Gate on the south; the Herat and Top Khana Gates on the west; and, the Bar Durrani and Kabul Gates on the east. At its peak, Ahmad Shah's empire included present-day Afghanistan, Pakistan, the [[Khorasan Province|Khorasan]] and [[Quhistan|Kohistan]] provinces of Iran, along with [[Punjab, India|Punjab]] in India. In October 1772, Ahmad Shah retired and died from a natural cause.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/10162/Ahmad-Shah-Durrani |title=Aḥmad Shah Durrānī |publisher=[[Britannica.com]] Online Version |access-date=9 January 2011 |archive-date=4 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140404104909/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/10162/Ahmad-Shah-Durrani |url-status=live }}</ref> A new city was laid out by Ahmad Shah and is dominated by his mausoleum, which is adjacent to the [[Mosque of the Cloak of the Prophet Mohammed|Mosque of the Cloak]] in the centre of the city. By 1776, his eldest son [[Timur Shah Durrani|Timur Shah]] had transferred Afghanistan's main capital, due to several conflicts with various Pashtun tribes, from Kandahar to Kabul, where the [[Durrani]] legacy continued.<ref Name=Dupree3/>

From 1818 to 1855, Kandahar was ruled by half-brothers of [[Dost Mohammad Khan]] as an [[Principality of Qandahar|independent principality]]. In September 1826, [[Syed Ahmad Barelvi|Syed Ahmad Shaheed]]'s followers arrived to Kandahar in search of volunteers to help them wage [[jihad]] against the [[Sikh Empire|Sikh]] invaders to what is now Pakistan. Led by [[Ranjit Singh]], the [[Sikhs]] had captured several of Afghanistan's territories in the east, including what is now [[Khyber Pakhtunkhwa]] and [[Kashmir]]. More than 400 local Kandahar warriors assembled themselves for the jihad. Sayed Din Mohammad Kandharai was appointed as their leader.

[[British Raj|British-led Indian forces]] from neighbouring [[British India]] invaded the city in 1839, during the [[First Anglo-Afghan War]], but withdrew in 1842. In November 1855 Dost Mohammad Khan conquered Kandahar. The British and Indian forces returned in 1878 during the [[Second Anglo-Afghan War]]. They emerged from the city in July 1880 to confront the forces of [[Mohammad Ayub Khan (Emir of Afghanistan)|Ayub Khan]], but were defeated at the [[Battle of Maiwand]]. They were again forced to withdraw a few years later, despite winning the [[Battle of Kandahar (1880)|Battle of Kandahar]].

Kandahar remained peaceful for the next 100 years, except during 1929 when loyalists of [[Habibullah Kalakani]] (Bache Saqqaw) placed the fortified city on lock-down and began torturing its population. Nobody was allowed to enter or leave from within the city's tall defensive walls, and as a result of this many people suffered after running out of food supplies. This lasted until October 1929 when [[Mohammed Nadir Shah|Nadir Khan]] and his Afghan army came to eliminate Kalakani, known as the Tajik bandit from the village of [[Kalakan]] in northern Kabul Province.

[[File:1973-12-08 Kandahar (14).jpg|thumb|left|Street in the city, 1973]]
[[File:KandaharMosque02.JPG|thumb|280px|The Mausoleum of [[Mirwais Hotak]]]]
During [[Mohammed Zahir Shah|Zahir Shah]]'s rule, the city slowly began expanding by adding modern style streets and housing schemes. In the 1960s, during the rivalry between the United States and the Soviet Union, [[Kandahar International Airport]] was built by the [[United States Army Corps of Engineers|U.S. Army Corps of Engineers]] next to the city. The U.S. also completed several other major projects in Kandahar and in other parts of southern Afghanistan. In the meantime, Soviet engineers were busy building major infrastructures in other parts of the country, such as [[Bagram Airfield]] and [[Kabul International Airport]].

During the 1980s, [[Soviet–Afghan War]], Kandahar city (and the province as a whole) witnessed heavy fighting as it became a centre of resistance as the [[mujahideen]] forces waged a strong [[guerrilla warfare]] against the [[Democratic Republic of Afghanistan|Soviet-backed government]], who tightly held on control of the city. Government and Soviet troops surrounded the city and subjected it to heavy air bombardment in which many civilians lost lives.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lib.unb.ca/Texts/JCS/bin/get5.cgi?directory=fall99%2F&filename=WESTERMA.htm#39 |title=The Limits of Soviet Airpower: The Failure of Military Coercion in Afghanistan, 1979–89 |work=Edward B. Westermann |publisher=[[University of New Brunswick]] |access-date=9 January 2011 |archive-date=5 June 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605194158/http://www.lib.unb.ca/Texts/JCS/bin/get5.cgi?directory=fall99%2F&filename=WESTERMA.htm#39 |url-status=live }}</ref> In January 1982 indiscriminate shelling and bombing by the Soviets killed hundreds.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.heritage.org/node/22652/print-display |title=The Heritage Foundation |access-date=11 January 2018 |archive-date=12 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180112100834/http://www.heritage.org/node/22652/print-display |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1982/03/08/world/soviet-reprisals-on-afghans-called-fierce.html |title=Soviet Reprisals on Afghans Called Fierce |newspaper=The New York Times |date=8 March 1982 |last1=Middleton |first1=Drew |access-date=29 January 2018 |archive-date=12 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180112044330/http://www.nytimes.com/1982/03/08/world/soviet-reprisals-on-afghans-called-fierce.html |url-status=live }}</ref> 300 civilians were killed during Soviet bombings in July 1984.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/07/24/Soviet-forces-bombed-the-city-of-Kandahar-in-southern/5417459489600/ |title=Soviet forces bombed the city of Kandahar in southern |access-date=11 January 2018 |archive-date=12 January 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180112042626/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1984/07/24/Soviet-forces-bombed-the-city-of-Kandahar-in-southern/5417459489600/ |url-status=live }}</ref> It was under siege again in April 1986.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://apnews.com/19a6eb5d553820d0143d100366f9cee1 |title=Soviet-Afghan Offensive Destroys Rebel Stronghold |website=[[Associated Press]] |access-date=7 June 2020 |archive-date=7 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200607155106/https://apnews.com/19a6eb5d553820d0143d100366f9cee1 |url-status=live }}</ref> Kandahar International Airport was used by the [[Soviet Army]] during their ten-year troop placement in the country. The city also became a battle ground for the US and Pakistani-backed against the pro-Communist government of Afghanistan. After the Soviet withdrawal and the collapse of [[Mohammad Najibullah|Najibullah]]'s government in 1992, Kandahar fell to local mujahideen commander, [[Gul Agha Sherzai]]. However Sherzai lacked authority against other local commanders which led to lawlessness in the city,<ref name="theguardian.com">{{Cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/dec/09/afghanistan.peterbeaumont |title=Kandahar on brink of chaos as warlords ready for battle |website=[[TheGuardian.com]] |date=9 December 2001 |access-date=4 January 2019 |archive-date=4 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190104175515/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2001/dec/09/afghanistan.peterbeaumont |url-status=live }}</ref> and fighting in 1993.<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zfGlVzNltF8C&pg=PT377 |title=My life with the Taliban |isbn=9789350094136 |last1=Zaeef |first1=Mohammad |date=7 August 2012 |access-date=7 June 2020 |archive-date=1 May 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210501130520/https://books.google.com/books?id=zfGlVzNltF8C&pg=PT377 |url-status=live }}</ref> The city's population was reduced from 200,000 before the war to no more than 25,000 inhabitants, following a months-long campaign of carpet bombing and bulldozing by the Soviets and Afghan communist soldiers in 1987.{{sfn|Kaplan|2008|p=188}}

In August 1994, the [[Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001)|Taliban]], under [[Mullah Omar|Mohammed Omar Mujahid]], captured Kandahar from commander [[Mullah Naqib]] almost without a fight,<ref name="theguardian.com"/> and turned the city to its capital. The Taliban introduced a strict form of the [[Sharia law]], banning formal education for boys and girls, including watching TV, films, music, and playing sports. In December 1999, a hijacked [[Indian Airlines Flight 814]] plane by Pakistani militants loyal to [[Harkat-ul-Mujahideen]] landed at Kandahar International Airport and kept the passengers hostage as part of a demand to release three Pakistani militants from prison in India.

====21st century====
{{Further|International Security Assistance Force|Presidency of Hamid Karzai}}
[[File:KANDAHAR TEN-MILER.jpg|thumb|[[United States Army|U.S. Army]] troops in 2009 passing by the starting point of the [[Army Ten-Miler]] run at their base next to [[Kandahar International Airport]].]]
In October 2001, as part of [[War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)|Operation Enduring Freedom]], the [[United States Navy]] began [[bombing of Kandahar (2001)|hitting targets]] inside the city by [[Precision-guided munition|precision-guided]] [[cruise missile]]s that were fired from the [[Persian Gulf]]. These targets were the airport and buildings that were occupied by the Taliban, including [[History of Arabs in Afghanistan|Arab]] families who had arrived several years earlier and were residing in the area.<ref>[[BBC News]], [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7193579.stm Kandahar's cemetery of 'miracles'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080120174340/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7193579.stm |date=20 January 2008 }}</ref> About a month later, the Taliban began surrendering in mass numbers to a private militia that had been formed by [[Gul Agha Sherzai]] and [[Hamid Karzai]].<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/asia/2003/journey/afghanistan.html |title=Home Free |quote=''[[Hamid Karzai]] dreamed for years of his eventual homecoming. But for both him and his newly reborn nation, the journey has only begun'' |magazine=Time |access-date=9 January 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090724022555/http://www.time.com/time/asia/2003/journey/afghanistan.html |archive-date=24 July 2009}}</ref> Kandahar once again fell into the hands of Sherzai, who had control over the area before the rise of the Taliban. He was transferred in 2003 and replaced by [[Yousef Pashtun]] until [[Asadullah Khalid]] took the post in 2005. The current [[List of governors of Kandahar|Governor of the province]] is [[Toryalai Wesa]]. He was appointed by President Hamid Karzai in December 2008 after [[Rahmatullah Raufi]]'s four-month rule.
[[File:Afghan National Security Force soldiers provide security for the Kandahar Nursing and Midwifery Institute.jpg|thumb|[[Afghan National Security Forces]] and members of [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]] providing security in 2012.]]
As of 2002, Kandahar International Airport is used by members of the United States armed forces and NATO's [[International Security Assistance Force]] (ISAF). NATO began training the newly formed [[Afghan National Police]] and are now given the security responsibility of the city. The [[military of Afghanistan]], backed by NATO forces, has gradually expanded its authority and presence throughout most of the country. The [[205th Corps (Afghanistan)|205th Corps]] of the [[Afghan National Army]] is based at Kandahar and provides military assistance to the south of the country. The [[Canadian Forces]] maintain their military command headquarters at Kandahar, heading the [[Train Advise Assist Command – South|Regional Command South]] of the NATO led [[International Security Assistance Force]] in [[Kandahar Province]]. The Taliban also have supporters inside the city reporting on events.<ref>BBC News, [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8203830.stm Kandahar dreamers test Taliban edicts] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090818081449/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8203830.stm |date=18 August 2009 }}</ref>

NATO forces expanded the Afghan police force for the prevention of a Taliban comeback in Kandahar, the militants' ''"spiritual birthplace"'' and a strategic key to ward off the [[Taliban insurgency]], as a part of a larger effort that also aimed to deliver services such as electricity and clean drinking water that the Taliban could not provide – encouraging support for the government in a city that was once the Taliban's headquarters. The most significant battle between NATO troops and the Taliban lasted throughout the summer of 2006, culminating in [[Operation Medusa]]. The Taliban failed to defeat the Western troops in open warfare, which marked a turn in their tactics towards [[Improvised explosive device|IED]] emplacement.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/feedarticle/8912934 |title=Removed: news agency feed article |work=the Guardian |date=9 December 2015 |access-date=6 May 2016 |archive-date=20 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920044330/https://www.theguardian.com/info/2015/dec/09/removed-news-agency-feed-article |url-status=live }}</ref> In June 2008, it was reported that over 1,000 [[Sarposa prison tunneling escape of 2011|inmates had escaped]] from [[Sarposa prison]]. In Spring 2010, the province and the city of Kandahar became a target of American operations following ''[[Operation Moshtarak]]'' in the neighbouring [[Helmand Province]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/27/world/asia/27kandahar.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220103/https://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/27/world/asia/27kandahar.html |archive-date=2022-01-03 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live |title=Kandahar, a Battlefield Even Before U.S. Offensive |date=27 March 2010 |work=The New York Times |access-date=6 May 2016}}{{cbignore}}</ref> In March 2010, U.S. and NATO commanders released details of plans for the biggest offensive of the war against the Taliban insurgency.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://in.reuters.com/article/southAsiaNews/idINIndia-47354120100331 |title=Q+A – NATO sees Kandahar battle as Afghan turning point |work=Reuters Editorial |date=31 March 2010 |agency=Reuters India |access-date=6 May 2016 |archive-date=20 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920044331/https://www.reuters.com/?edition-redirect=in |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[File:Crocker and Wesa in 2012.jpg|left|thumb|[[United States Ambassador to Afghanistan|U.S. Ambassador]] [[Ryan Crocker]] and [[Toryalai Wesa]], the [[list of governors of Kandahar|Governor of Kandahar Province]].]]
In May 2010, Kandahar International Airport became subject of a combined rocket and ground attack by insurgents, following similar attacks on Kabul and Bagram in the preceding weeks. Although this attack did not lead to many casualties on the side of NATO forces, it did show that the militants are still capable of launching multiple, coordinated operations in Afghanistan. In June 2010, a [[shura]] was held by Afghan President Hamid Karzai with tribal and religious leaders of the Kandahar region. The meeting highlighted the need for support of NATO-led forces in order to stabilize parts of the province.

By 2011, Kandahar became known as the assassination city of Afghanistan after witnessing many targeted killings. In July [[Ahmed Wali Karzai]], brother of President Hamid Karzai, was shot by his long time head of security. Soon after the [[Quetta Shura]] of the Taliban claimed responsibility. The next day an Islamic cleric (mulla) of the famous [[Red Mosque, Kandahar|Red Mosque]] in the Shahr-e Naw area of the city and a number of other people were killed by a Taliban suicide bomber who had hidden explosives inside his [[turban]]. On 27 July 2011, the mayor of the city, [[Ghulam Haider Hamidi]], was assassinated by another Taliban militant who had hidden explosives in his turban. Two [[deputy mayor]]s had been killed in 2010,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/07/27/afghanistan.mayor.killed/index.html |title=Kandahar mayor killed in suicide attack; Taliban claim responsibility |access-date=6 May 2016 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304111007/http://edition.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/asiapcf/07/27/afghanistan.mayor.killed/index.html |url-status=live }}</ref> while many tribal elders and Islamic clerics have also been assassinated in the last several years.

Pakistan's [[Inter-Services Intelligence]] (ISI) spy network is often blamed as the masterminds behind the Taliban-led insurgency.<ref name=US-blames-Pakistan>{{cite news |url=https://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-isi-urged-attacks-u-targets-officials-002201562.html |title=U.S. blames Pakistan agency in Kabul attack |agency=Reuters |date=22 September 2011 |access-date=22 September 2011 |archive-date=25 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110925075845/http://news.yahoo.com/pakistan-isi-urged-attacks-u-targets-officials-002201562.html |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2013/06/06/isi-still-engaged-taliban-us-expert |title=ISI still engaged with the Taliban: US expert |date=6 June 2013 |access-date=2013-06-09 |publisher=Pajhwok Afghan News |archive-date=14 July 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140714140614/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2013/06/06/isi-still-engaged-taliban-us-expert |url-status=dead}}</ref> The Afghan government alleges that the ISI is using the insurgents in the name of Islamic [[jihad]] to counter the [[Afghanistan–India relations|growing influence of its rival India in Afghanistan]] and the Afghan claim regarding the disputed [[Durand Line]] border.<ref>[http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/10/05/pakistan-twin-brother-talks-go-karzai Pakistan a twin brother, talks to go on: Karzai] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111107132358/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/10/05/pakistan-twin-brother-talks-go-karzai |date=7 November 2011 }}. [[Pajhwok Afghan News]]. Sujoy Dhar. 5 October 2011.</ref> The overwhelming majority of the victims in the attacks are ordinary Afghan civilians.<ref name=civilians>[http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/10/10/challenges-remain-despite-reduced-rebel-attacks-isaf Challenges remain despite reduced rebel attacks: ISAF] {{Webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612004042/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/10/10/challenges-remain-despite-reduced-rebel-attacks-isaf |date=12 June 2013 }}. Pajhwok Afghan News. 10 October 2011.</ref> On 6 June 2012, at least 21 civilians were killed and 50 others injured when two Taliban suicide bombers on motorcycles blew themselves up in a market area near Kandahar International Airport.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/06/07/21-killed-50-injured-twin-suicide-blasts-video |title=21 killed, 50 injured in twin suicide blasts (Video) |publisher=Pajhwok Afghan News |editor=Siddiqullah |date=7 June 2012 |access-date=8 June 2012 |archive-date=12 June 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130612002802/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/06/07/21-killed-50-injured-twin-suicide-blasts-video |url-status=dead}}</ref>

On [[May 2020 Afghanistan attacks|4 May 2020]], a policewoman was assassinated in the centre of Kandahar, making her the fifth policewoman to be killed during the previous two months in Kandahar. No group claimed responsibility for the killing of the policewomen.<ref name="vo1">{{Cite web |url=https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/taliban-claim-attack-afghan-army-base |title=Taliban Claim Attack on Afghan Army Base |date=4 May 2020 |via=voanews.com/ |access-date=28 May 2020 |archive-date=16 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210816214122/https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/taliban-claim-attack-afghan-army-base |url-status=live }}</ref>

On 12 August 2021, the Taliban [[Battle of Kandahar (2021)|captured Kandahar]]. After days of brutal clashes with [[Afghan National Army|ANA]] soldiers retreating from the city, the Taliban were finally able to capture the city.<ref name = "talib1">{{cite web |last1=Akhgar |first1=Tameem |title=Taliban take Kandahar, Herat in major Afghanistan offensive |url=https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-afghanistan-taliban-26d485963b7a0d9f2107afcbc38f239a |website=Apnews |date=12 August 2021 |publisher=APNews |access-date=12 August 2021 |archive-date=12 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210812043017/https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-afghanistan-taliban-26d485963b7a0d9f2107afcbc38f239a |url-status=live }}</ref><ref name = "talib2">{{cite news |last1=Goldbaum |first1=Christina |title=Afghanistan Collapse Accelerates as 2 Vital Cities Near Fall to Taliban |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/12/world/asia/kandahar-afghanistan-taliban.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20211228/https://www.nytimes.com/2021/08/12/world/asia/kandahar-afghanistan-taliban.html |archive-date=2021-12-28 |url-access=limited |newspaper=The New York Times |date=12 August 2021 |access-date=12 August 2021}}{{cbignore}}</ref> It became the twelfth provincial capital to be seized by Taliban as part of the wider [[2021 Taliban offensive]].

On 15 October 2021, [[2021 Kandahar bombing|four suicide bombers killed dozens at a Shia mosque in the city]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Afghanistan: At least 35 killed in suicide bombing during prayers at Kandahar mosque |url=https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-at-least-15-killed-in-explosion-at-mosque-in-kandahar-12434327 |access-date=2021-10-15 |website=Sky News |language=en |archive-date=16 October 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211016130830/https://news.sky.com/story/afghanistan-at-least-15-killed-in-explosion-at-mosque-in-kandahar-12434327 |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Geography==
The [[Arghandab River]] runs along the west of Kandahar. The city has 15 districts and a total land area of 27,337 hectares.<ref name="auto1">{{cite web |title=The State of Afghan Cities report 2015 |url=http://unhabitat.org/books/soac2015_volume2/ |ref=UN-Habitat |access-date=22 October 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151031111658/http://unhabitat.org/books/soac2015_volume2/ |archive-date=31 October 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The total number of dwellings in Kandahar is 61,902.<ref name="auto1"/>

Only 64% of families in Kandahar have access to safe drinking water; 22% of households have access to safe toilet facilities; and 27% of households have access to electricity, with the remainder dependent on public power. Kandahar's transportation infrastructure is well-developed, with 76.8% of the province's roads capable of carrying car traffic in all seasons. However, there are no roads in a minor portion of the province (3.3 percent). In terms of telecommunications, Kandahar City and major roadways are covered by the three major mobile networks AWCC, Roshan, and MTN.<ref name="ReferenceA">{{Cite journal |title=Afghanistan Provincial Reconstruction Handbook |journal= |pages=124}}</ref>

===Land use===
Kandahar is the regional hub in southern Afghanistan, close to the border with Pakistan.<ref name="auto1"/> Non-built up land use accounts for 59% of the total land area.<ref name="auto1"/> Within the built-up area, vacant plots occupy a slightly higher percentage of land (36%) than residential land (34%).<ref name="auto1"/> There is a significant commercial cluster along the road to Pakistan in District 5.<ref name="auto1"/> India, Iran and Pakistan have consulates here for trade, military and political links.

===Climate===
Kandahar has a [[hot desert climate]] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''BWh''),<ref>[http://www.artofwar.net.ru/profiles/andreev_pavel_v/view_book/kandagrad] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100214001736/http://www.artofwar.net.ru/profiles/andreev_pavel_v/view_book/kandagrad|date=14 February 2010}} {{in lang|ru}}</ref> characterised by little precipitation and high variation between summer and winter temperatures. Summers start in mid-May, last until late September, and are extremely dry. Temperatures peak in July with a 24-hour daily average of around {{cvt|31.9|°C|1}}. They are followed by dry autumns from early October to late November, with days still averaging in the 20s °C (above 68 °F) into November, although nights are sharply cooler. Winter begins in December and sees most of its precipitation in the form of rain. Temperatures average {{cvt|5.1|°C|1}} in January, although lows can drop well below freezing. They end in early March and are followed by a pleasant spring until late April with temperatures generally in the upper 10s °C to lower 30s °C (65–88 °F) range. Sunny weather dominates year-round, especially in summer, when rainfall is extremely rare. The annual mean temperature is {{cvt|18.6|°C|1}}.
{{Weather box
|width = auto
|location = Kandahar (1964–1983)
|metric first = Y
|single line = Y
|Jan record high C = 25.0
|Feb record high C = 26.0
|Mar record high C = 36.5
|Apr record high C = 37.1
|May record high C = 43.0
|Jun record high C = 45.0
|Jul record high C = 46.5
|Aug record high C = 44.5
|Sep record high C = 41.0
|Oct record high C = 37.5
|Nov record high C = 31.5
|Dec record high C = 26.0
|Jan high C = 12.2
|Feb high C = 14.8
|Mar high C = 21.6
|Apr high C = 28.1
|May high C = 34.1
|Jun high C = 39.1
|Jul high C = 40.2
|Aug high C = 38.2
|Sep high C = 34.0
|Oct high C = 27.5
|Nov high C = 21.0
|Dec high C = 15.4
|year high C = 27.2
|Jan mean C = 5.1
|Feb mean C = 7.8
|Mar mean C = 13.9
|Apr mean C = 20.2
|May mean C = 25.4
|Jun mean C = 30.0
|Jul mean C = 31.9
|Aug mean C = 29.4
|Sep mean C = 23.5
|Oct mean C = 17.5
|Nov mean C = 11.0
|Dec mean C = 7.3
|Jan low C = 0.0
|Feb low C = 2.4
|Mar low C = 7.1
|Apr low C = 12.3
|May low C = 15.8
|Jun low C = 19.5
|Jul low C = 22.5
|Aug low C = 20.0
|Sep low C = 13.5
|Oct low C = 8.5
|Nov low C = 3.3
|Dec low C = 1.0
|year low C = 10.5
|Jan record low C = −12.1
|Feb record low C = -10.0
|Mar record low C = −4.8
|Apr record low C = 2.0
|May record low C = 2.4
|Jun record low C = 8.5
|Jul record low C = 13.5
|Aug record low C = 9.0
|Sep record low C = 5.2
|Oct record low C = -2.2
|Nov record low C = −9.3
|Dec record low C = −11.4
|precipitation colour = green
|Jan precipitation mm = 54.0
|Feb precipitation mm = 42.0
|Mar precipitation mm = 41.1
|Apr precipitation mm = 18.7
|May precipitation mm = 2.2
|Jun precipitation mm = 0
|Jul precipitation mm = 2.3
|Aug precipitation mm = 1.0
|Sep precipitation mm = 0
|Oct precipitation mm = 2.3
|Nov precipitation mm = 7.0
|Dec precipitation mm = 20.0
|Jan precipitation days = 6
|Feb precipitation days = 6
|Mar precipitation days = 6
|Apr precipitation days = 4
|May precipitation days = 1
|Jun precipitation days = 0
|Jul precipitation days = 0
|Aug precipitation days = 0
|Sep precipitation days = 0
|Oct precipitation days = 1
|Nov precipitation days = 2
|Dec precipitation days = 3
|Jan sun = 198.4
|Feb sun = 183.6
|Mar sun = 235.6
|Apr sun = 255.0
|May sun = 347.2
|Jun sun = 369.0
|Jul sun = 341.0
|Aug sun = 337.9
|Sep sun = 324.0
|Oct sun = 306.9
|Nov sun = 264.0
|Dec sun = 217.0
|Jan humidity = 58
|Feb humidity = 59
|Mar humidity = 50
|Apr humidity = 41
|May humidity = 30
|Jun humidity = 23
|Jul humidity = 25
|Aug humidity = 25
|Sep humidity = 24
|Oct humidity = 29
|Nov humidity = 40
|Dec humidity = 52
|source 1 = NOAA (1964–1983)<ref name= NOAA>{{cite web |url=ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/AH/40990.TXT |title=Kandahar Climate Normals 1964–1983 |publisher=[[National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |access-date=26 December 2012 |archive-date=20 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220920044332/ftp://ftp.atdd.noaa.gov/pub/GCOS/WMO-Normals/RA-II/AH/40990.TXT |url-status=live }}</ref>
|date=August 2010
}}

==Transport==
{{Further|Transport in Afghanistan|Highway 1 (Afghanistan)}}
[[File:Aerial view of Kandahar Airport in 2005.jpg|thumb|left|View of the airport in 2005]]
[[File:Kam Air at Kandahar International Airport in 2012.jpg|thumb|A [[Kam Air]] passenger plane at [[Kandahar International Airport]] in 2012]]
[[Kandahar International Airport]] serves as southern Afghanistan's main airport for domestic and international flights. It is also used as a major military base as well as shipping and receiving of supplies for the NATO armies. The entire area in and around the airport is heavily guarded but a section is designated for civilian passengers. Most international flights are to the UAE, Iran, India, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan.

Pakistan plans to build a railroad track from the Pakistani town of [[Chaman]] to Kandahar<ref>{{cite news |last1=Sial |first1=Amer |title=Pak Railways poised to get massive funding from CPEC and CAREC |url=http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2016/08/18/pak-railways-poised-to-get-massive-funding-from-cpec-and-carec/ |access-date=23 March 2017 |publisher=Pakistan Today |date=2016-08-18 |archive-date=24 March 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170324083531/http://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2016/08/18/pak-railways-poised-to-get-massive-funding-from-cpec-and-carec/ |url-status=live }}</ref> which will connect [[Rail transport in Afghanistan|Afghan Railways]] with [[Pakistan Railways]]. The [[feasibility study]] was completed in 2006<ref>{{cite news |first=Javed Hamim |last=Kakar |title=Pakistan, Afghanistan ink MoU on rail links |url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2010/07/07/pakistan-afghanistan-ink-mou-rail-links |publisher=[[Pajhwok Afghan News]] |date=7 July 2010 |access-date=23 October 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120313034322/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2010/07/07/pakistan-afghanistan-ink-mou-rail-links |archive-date=13 March 2012}}</ref> but {{As of|2012|lc=y}} no construction work had begun.<ref>Kandahar-Quetta bus service soon By Bashir Ahmad Naadim 20 Jul 2012 – 17:17, http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/07/20/kandahar-quetta-bus-service-soon {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140530002358/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2012/07/20/kandahar-quetta-bus-service-soon |date=30 May 2014 }}</ref>

Kandahar is connected to [[Quetta]] [[Pakistan]] via [[Chaman]] and [[Kabul]] by the [[Kabul-Kandahar Highway]] and to [[Herat]] by the [[Kandahar-Herat Highway]]. There is a bus station located at the start of the Kabul-Kandahar Highway, where a number of privately owned older-model [[Mercedes-Benz buses|Mercedes-Benz]] [[coach (bus)|coach]] buses are available to take passengers to most major cities of the country. Kandahar is also connected by road to [[Quetta]] in neighbouring Pakistan. Due to the ongoing war, the route to Kabul has become increasingly dangerous as insurgent attacks on convoys and destruction of bridges make it an unreliable link between the two cities.<ref>{{cite news |first=James |last=Cogan |title=Hundreds dead in fighting along Afghanistan-Pakistan border |url=http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/aug2008/afgh-a16.shtml |work=[[World Socialist Web Site]] |date=16 August 2008 |access-date=25 August 2008 |archive-date=2 September 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080902043919/http://www.wsws.org/articles/2008/aug2008/afgh-a16.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first=Salih Muhammad |last=Salih |author2=Siddique, Abubakar |title=Death stalks the highway to hell |url=http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JJ24Df03.html |work=[[Asia Times Online]] |date=23 October 2008 |access-date=23 October 2008 |archive-url=https://wayback.archive-it.org/all/20110827092424/http://atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/JJ24Df03.html |archive-date=27 August 2011 |url-status=unfit}}</ref>

Commuters in the city of Kandahar use the public bus system ([[Milli Bus]]), and taxicabs and [[Auto rickshaw|rickshaws]] are common. Private vehicle use is increasing, partially due to road and highway improvements. Large dealerships are importing cars from [[Dubai]], [[UAE]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lonelyplanet.com/tonywheeler/my_lists/afghanistan_practicalities/ |title=Afghanistan Practicalities |publisher=[[Lonely Planet]] |first=Tony |last=Wheeler |date=6 June 2006 |access-date=9 January 2011 |archive-date=7 January 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110107095118/http://www.lonelyplanet.com/tonywheeler/my_lists/afghanistan_practicalities/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

==Demography and population ==
Kandahar has a population of approximately 1,057,500 people in 2008. In the province, there are around 14,445 households, with an average of seven individuals per home. Around 68 percent of Kandahar's population resides in rural districts, with males accounting for 51 percent of the population. Pashtuns are the province's most largest ethnic group. Major Pashtun tribes such as the [[Tareen]] or [[Durrani]] including Barakzai, Popalzai, Alkozai, Noorzai, Ishaqzai, Achakzai, Maku, and Alizai and [[Khilji]] are included. More than 98 percent of the population speaks Pashtu. 88 center for learning army lessons. Only a small percentage of the population speaks [[Balochi language]] and [[Dari]]. [[Kochi people]] (Pashtun Nomads) also live in Kandahar province, and their numbers fluctuate depending on the season. Kandahar has a population of 79,949 people in the winter and 39,082 people in the summer.<ref name="ReferenceA"/>

==Education==
{{Further|Education in Afghanistan}}
[[File:School children watch members of Afghan National Security Force and Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team.jpg|thumb|Children from the Zarghona Ana High School watch members of [[Afghan National Security Force]] and Kandahar [[Provincial Reconstruction Team]] prepare for the Kandahar Nursing and Midwifery Institute grand opening ceremony in 2012.]]
Before the 1978 coup in Kabul, majority of the city's population were enrolled in schools.{{citation needed|date=May 2014}} Nearly all of the elite class of the city fled to neighboring Pakistan during the early 1980s, and from there they began immigrating to North America, Europe, [[Afghan Australian|Australia]] and other parts of the world.

The two oldest known schools are Ahmad Shah Baba High School and Zarghona Ana High School. There are a number of new schools that opened in the last decade, with more being built in the future as the city's population grows with the large returning Afghans from neighboring countries. [[Afghan Turk High Schools]] is one of the top private schools in the city.

The main university is the [[Kandahar University]]. A number of private higher education institutions have also opened in the last decade such as Benawa Institute of Higher Education, Mirwais Neeka Institute of Higher Education, Malalay Institute of Higher Education and Saba Institute of Higher Education.
<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://counselorcorporation.com/benawa-institute-of-higher-education/ |title=Benawa Institute of Higher Education | Tuition | Admission - Counselor Corporation |date=8 July 2020 |access-date=28 July 2021 |archive-date=28 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728173647/https://counselorcorporation.com/benawa-institute-of-higher-education/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://counselorcorporation.com/mirwais-neeka-institute-of-higher-education/ |title=Mirwais Neeka Institute of Higher Education - Counselor Corporation |date=19 September 2020 |access-date=28 July 2021 |archive-date=28 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728173650/https://counselorcorporation.com/mirwais-neeka-institute-of-higher-education/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://counselorcorporation.com/saba-institute-of-higher-education/ |title=Saba Institute of Higher Education | Fee & Academics - Counselor Corporation |date=27 September 2020 |access-date=28 July 2021 |archive-date=28 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728173644/https://counselorcorporation.com/saba-institute-of-higher-education/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://counselorcorporation.com/malalay-university/ |title=Malalay University | Tuition and Fees | Academics - Counselor Corporation |date=19 September 2020 |access-date=28 July 2021 |archive-date=28 July 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210728173644/https://counselorcorporation.com/malalay-university/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

The adult literacy rate ratio was 16.8% in 2012.[https://knoema.com/atlas/Afghanistan/Kandahar]

==Communications==
{{Further|Communications in Afghanistan}}
Telecommunication services in the city are provided by [[Afghan Wireless]], [[Roshan (Telecom)|Roshan]], [[Etisalat]], [[MTN Group]] and [[Afghan Telecom]]. In November 2006, the [[Ministry of Communications (Afghanistan)|Afghan Ministry of Communications]] signed a $64.5 million agreement with [[ZTE]] for the establishment of a countrywide fibre optical cable network. This was intended to improve telephone, internet, television and radio broadcast services not just in Kandahar but throughout the country.

==Places of interest==
[[File:Ruins of old Kandahar Citadel in 1881.jpg|thumb|upright|An 1881 photo showing the ruined [[Old Kandahar]] [[citadel]] of Shah [[Hussain Hotak]] that was destroyed by the [[Afsharid dynasty|Afsharid forces]] of [[Nader Shah]] in 1738. This destroyed fortress is still standing today.]]
The tomb of [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] is located in the city centre, which also houses Durrani's brass helmet and other personal items. In front of Durrani's mausoleum is the [[Shrine of the Cloak]], containing one of the most valued relics in the Islamic world, which was given by the Emir of [[Bokhara]] ([[Murad Beg]]) to Ahmad Shah Durrani. The Sacred Cloak is kept locked away, taken out only at times of great crisis. [[Mullah Omar]] took it out in November 1996 and displayed it to a crowd of ''ulema'' of religious scholars to have himself declared [[Amir al-Mu'minin]] (Commander of the Faithful). Prior to that it was taken out when the city was struck by a cholera epidemic in the 1930s.<ref>Lamb, Christina (2002). ''[https://archive.org/details/sewingcirclesofh00chri The Sewing Circles of Herat: A Personal Voyage Through Afghanistan]''. Harper Collins. First Perennial edition (2004), p. 38 and n. {{ISBN|0-06-050527-3}}.</ref>

The village of ''Sher Surkh'' is located southeast of the city, in the suburbs of the old city of [[Naderabad, Kandahar|Nadirabad]]. Kandahar Museum is located at the western end of the third block of buildings lining the main road east of ''Eidgah Durwaza'' (gate). It has many paintings by the now famous Ghiyassuddin, painted while he was a young teacher in Kandahar. He is acknowledged among Afghanistan's leading artists.

Just to the north of the city, off its northeast corner at the end of ''buria'' (matting) bazaar, there is a shrine dedicated to a saint who lived in Kandahar more than 300 years ago. The grave of ''[[Hazratji Baba]]'', {{cvt|23|ft|m|order=flip}} long to signify his greatness, but otherwise covered solely by rock chips, is undecorated save for tall pennants at its head. A monument to Islamic martyrs stands in the centre of Kandahar's main square, called ''Da Shahidanu Chawk'', which was built in the 1940s.

[[File:Old Kandahar and Chil Zena.jpg|thumb|Ancient city of [[Old Kandahar]] (red) and [[Chilzina]] mountainous outcrop (blue) on the western side of Kandahar.]]
The ''[[Chilzina]]'' is a rock-cut chamber above the plain at the end of the rugged chain of mountains forming the western defence of Kandahar's ''Old City''. This is here that [[Ashoka]]'s [[Kandahar Bilingual Rock Inscription]] was found. Forty steps, about, lead to the chamber, which is guarded by two chained lions, defaced, and inscribed with an account of [[Mughal Empire|Mughal]] conquest. The rugged cliffs from which the ''Chilzina'' was hewn form the natural western bastion of the ''Old City'' of Kandahar, which was destroyed in 1738 by [[Nadir Shah Afshar]] of Persia.

A short distance from ''Chilzina'', going west on the main highway, a bright blue dome appears on the right. This is the mausoleum of [[Mirwais Hotak]], the Ghiljai chieftain who declared Kandahar's independence from the Persians in 1709. The shrine of [[Baba Wali Kandhari]]<ref name="wondersofpakistan.wordpress.com">{{cite web |url=http://wondersofpakistan.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/punja-sahib-the-miracle-at-hassan-abdal/ |title=Punja Sahib: The Miracle at Hassan Abdal |work=Wonders of Pakistan |date=13 April 2009 |access-date=6 May 2016 |archive-date=13 March 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160313232015/https://wondersofpakistan.wordpress.com/2009/04/13/punja-sahib-the-miracle-at-hassan-abdal/ |url-status=live }}</ref> (Baba Sahib), its terraces shaded by pomegranate groves beside the [[Arghandab River]], is also very popular for picnics and afternoon outings.<ref Name=Dupree3/> He was a Muslim [[Pir (Sufism)|pir]] who had a strange encounter with [[Guru Nanak]] at [[Hasan Abdal]] in what is now [[Attock District]] of Pakistan. The shrine of Baba Wali is important to Muslims and [[Sikh]]s. Close to Baba Wali's shrine is a military base established by the [[United States armed forces]] in about 2007.

==Development and modernization==
[[File:Aino Mina housing model.jpg|thumb|The original model plan of the ''Aino Mina'' neighbourhood, which began in 2003 by [[Mahmud Karzai]] and associates.<ref name=Cusak/>]]
Decades of war left Kandahar and the rest of the country destroyed and depopulated, but in recent years billions of dollars began pouring in for construction purposes and millions of expats have returned to Afghanistan. New residential areas have been established around the city, and a number of modern-style buildings have been constructed.

Some residents of the city have access to clean drinking water and electricity, and the government is working to extend these services to every home.<ref>South Asian News Agency, [http://www.sananews.com.pk/news.php?netwire=8219&cwire=8219 ''30 Power Generators to Be Installed in Kandahar'']{{Dead link|date=August 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> The city relies on electricity from the [[Kajaki Dam|Kajaki]] [[hydroelectricity]] plant in neighbouring [[Helmand Province|Helmand]], which is being upgraded or expanded. About {{cvt|20|mi|km|sigfig=1|order=flip}} north of the city is the [[Dahla Dam]], the second largest [[list of dams and reservoirs in Afghanistan|dam in Afghanistan]].

The ''Aino Mina'' is a new housing project for up to two million people on the northern edge of the city.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.burohappold.com/projects/project/aino-mina-development-138/ |title=Aino Mina Development |access-date=6 May 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304031905/http://www.burohappold.com/projects/project/aino-mina-development-138/ |archive-date=4 March 2016 |df=dmy-all}}</ref> Originally called the ''Kandahar Valley'' and started by [[Mahmud Karzai]],<ref name=Cusak>{{cite news |url=http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/spending-time-with-the-karzais-in-parts-of-kandahar/ |title=Spending Time With the Karzais in (Parts of) Kandahar |work=The New York Times |date=19 July 2011 |access-date=2012-10-20 |first=Jake |last=Cusack |archive-date=8 August 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808095610/http://atwar.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/07/19/spending-time-with-the-karzais-in-parts-of-kandahar/ |url-status=live }}</ref> it was announced that the project would build up to 20,000 single-family homes and associated infrastructure such as roads, water and sewer systems, and [[community building]]s, including schools.<ref>[[U.S. Department of State]], [http://www.usinfo.state.gov/sa/Archive/2004/Jan/29-5307.html ''U.S. Government Agency Grants $3 Million to Build Afghan Homes''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004135535/http://usinfo.state.gov/sa/Archive/2004/Jan/29-5307.html |date=4 October 2006 }}</ref>

It recently won 2 awards, the ''Residential Project'' and ''Sustainable Project'' of the Year at the Middle East Architect Awards.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.designmena.com/portfolio/aino-mina |title=Case study: Aino Mina |work=Design Middle East |access-date=6 May 2016 |archive-date=6 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140106003655/http://www.designmena.com/portfolio/aino-mina |url-status=dead}}</ref> Many of the high-ranking government employees and civil servants as well as wealthy businessmen live in this area, which is a more secured community in Kandahar. Work on the next $100 million scheme was initiated in 2011.

Also, construction of Hamidi Township in the Morchi Kotal area of the city began in August 2011. It is named after [[Ghulam Haider Hamidi]], the mayor of Kandahar who was assassinated by militants in late July 2011.<ref>[http://www.afghanpanorama.com/?p=457 Kandahar mayor killed by suicide bomber with explosives in turban]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> Situated along the Kandahar-Uruzgan Highway in the northeast of the city, the new township will have 2,000 residential and commercial plots. Including new roads, schools, commercial markets, clinics, canals and other facilities.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/08/16/construction-hameedi-township-starts-kandahar |title=Construction of Hameedi township starts in Kandahar |date=16 August 2011 |first=Bashir Ahmed |last=Naadem |access-date=16 August 2011 |archive-date=8 September 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120908074140/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2011/08/16/construction-hameedi-township-starts-kandahar |url-status=dead}}</ref>

About {{cvt|10|km|0}} east of Kandahar, a huge [[industrial park]] is under construction with modern facilities. The park will have professional management for the daily maintenance of public roads, internal streets, common areas, parking areas, 24 hours perimeter security, access control for vehicles and persons.<ref>Afghanistan Investment Support Agency, [http://www.aisa.org.af/ipda/kandahar.html ''Afghanistan Industrial Parks Development Authority''] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060721180455/http://www.aisa.org.af/ipda/kandahar.html |date=21 July 2006 }}</ref>
[[File:Baba Saab.JPG|thumb|The [[mausoleum]] of [[Baba Wali Kandhari]]<ref name="wondersofpakistan.wordpress.com"/> next to the Arghandab Valley, in the northern outskirts of the city.]]
[[File:Mosque in Kandahar-2011.jpg|thumb|The mausoleum of [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] in the centre of the city, which also serves as the [[Congregational Mosque]] and contains a sacred [[cloak]] that used to be worn by Islam's Prophet [[Muhammad]].]]
[[File:Buildings in Kandahar2.jpg|thumb|Al-Jadeed indoor shopping centre in the Shahre Naw section of the city.]]
[[File:Park in Kandahar.jpg|thumb|Local children watching a football match at the playground of Ahmad Shah Baba High School.]]
[[File:View of Arghandab Valley.jpg|thumb|200px|Arghandab Valley]]
[[File:The mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani (Ahmad Shah Baba).jpg|thumb|200px|Mausoleum of Ahmad Shah Durrani]]
[[File:Governor's courtyard in Kandahar.jpg|thumb|200px|Governor's Mansion]]

===Airports===
*[[Kandahar International Airport]]

===Neighborhoods===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Aino Meyna]] (under development since 2003)
*Hamidi Meyna (under development since 2011)
*[[Share Naw]] (meaning ''New City'')
*Dand
*[[Karz, Kandahar|Karz]]
*Mirwais Meyna
*Daman
*Sarpuza
*Malajat
*[[Old Kandahar]] (Zorr Shar)
*[[Arghandab Valley]]
{{div col end}}

===Cultural sites and parks===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Kandahar Park]] [https://www.flickr.com/photos/24037728@N08/2408896394/in/photostream]
*Baba Saab
*Kokaran Park
*Baghi Pul Park [https://web.archive.org/web/20161014053819/http://www.panoramio.com/photo/25270245]
*Chilzina View (Moghul Emperor [[Babur]]'s [[inscription]] site)
*[[Kandahar Museum]]
{{div col end}}

=== Mosques and shrines ===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Friday Mosque of Kandahar]]
*[[Shrine of the Cloak]]
*[[Mosque of the Hair of the Prophet]]
*Mosque at [[Kandahar University]] (Eidgah Jaami Jumat)
{{div col end}}

=== Mausoleums ===
*Mausoleum of [[Ahmad Shah Durrani]]
*Mausoleum of [[Mirwais Hotak]]
*Mausoleum of Baba Wali

===Shopping===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*Al-Jadeed indoor shopping center [https://www.flickr.com/photos/24037728@N08/2407958627/in/photostream]
*Herat [[Bazaar]]
*Kabul Bazaar
*Shah Bazaar
*Shkar Pur Bazaar
*Piaroz Super store
*Kandahr Super Store
*Samimi Super Store
{{div col end}}

===Hospitals===
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Afghan National Army Regional Hospital]]
*[[Mirwais Hospital]]
*[[Sial Curative Hospital]]
*[[Bilal Hospital]]
*[[Momand Hospital]]
*[[Sydal Hospital]]
{{div col end}}

===Banks===
*[[Afghanistan International Bank|AIB Bank]]
*[[Kabul Bank]]
*[[Azizi Bank]]

==Sports==

;Professional sports teams from Kandahar
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! scope="col" | Club
! scope="col" | League
! scope="col" | Sport
! scope="col" | Venue
! scope="col" | Established
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[Kandahar Knights]]
|[[Afghanistan Premier League]]
|[[Cricket]]
|[[Sharjah Cricket Stadium]]
|2018
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[Boost Defenders]]
| [[Shpageeza Cricket League]]
| [[Cricket]]
| [[Kandahar International Cricket Stadium]]
| 2013
|-
! scope="row" style="font-weight: normal; text-align: left;" | [[De Maiwand Atalan F.C.]]
| [[Afghan Premier League]]
| [[Association football|Football]]
| [[Kandahar Stadium]]
| 2012
|}

===Stadium===
*[[Kandahar International Cricket Stadium]] (under construction)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2014-05-29 |title=20 acres of land donated for cricket stadium in Kandahar {{!}} Pajhwok Afghan News |url=http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2010/10/27/20-acres-land-donated-cricket-stadium-kandahar |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140529103150/http://www.pajhwok.com/en/2010/10/27/20-acres-land-donated-cricket-stadium-kandahar |archive-date=2014-05-29 |access-date=2021-05-08}}</ref>
*[[Kandahar Stadium]] used for football<ref>{{Citation |last=Iqbal Ahmad Esmati |title=Football Ground |date=2005-02-13 |url=https://www.flickr.com/photos/24037728@N08/2408005625/ |access-date=2021-05-08 |archive-date=10 August 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810160701/https://www.flickr.com/photos/24037728@N08/2408005625 |url-status=live }}</ref>
*[[Ahmad Shahi Stadium]], 20,000-capacity, used for football

==Demography and culture==
{{Further|Demographics of Afghanistan}}{{Bar box|float=left|bars={{bar percent|[[Muslims]]|green|99.8}}
{{bar percent|[[Hindus]]|orange|0.15}}
{{bar percent|Others*|blue|0.05}}|caption=*{{small|includes [[Sikhs]], [[Bahai]] and [[Atheists]]}}|left1=Religion|right1=%|title=Religions in Kandahar}}[[File:Tribal and religious leaders in southern Afghanistan.jpg|thumb|upright|A gathering of tribal and religious leaders following a [[shura]] held by [[President of Afghanistan|Afghan President]] [[Hamid Karzai]] in June 2010 to start a dialogue for peace with the Taliban.]]
The population of Kandahar numbers approximately 651,484 {{As of|2021|lc=y}}.<ref name=nsia/> The [[Pashtuns]] make up the overwhelming majority population of the city and province but exact figures are not available. In a 2003 estimate by the [[National Geographic Society|National Geographic]], Pashtuns were put at ca. 70%, [[Tajik people|Tajiks]] 20%, [[Baluch people|Baloch]] 2%, and [[Uzbek people|Uzbeks]] 2%.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0311/feature2/images/mp_download.2.pdf |title=2003 National Geographic Population Map |work=Thomas Gouttierre, Center For Afghanistan Studies, [[University of Nebraska]] at Omaha; Matthew S. Baker, Stratfor |publisher=[[National Geographic Society]] |year=2003 |access-date=11 April 2011 |archive-date=12 September 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170912083622/http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0311/feature2/images/mp_download.2.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Pashto language|Pashto]] is the main language in the city and the region. [[Persian language|Persian]] is also understood by a few number of the city dwellers, especially those serving in the government. Both are the official [[languages of Afghanistan]]. A 2006 compendium of provincial data prepared by the Afghan [[Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development]] and [[United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan]] (UNAMA) states:
{{blockquote|sign=|source=|"The major ethnic group living in Khandahar province is Pashtoons. This includes major tribes such as [[Tareen]] or [[Durrani]] sub tribes including [[Barakzai]], [[Popalzai]], [[Alakozai|Alkozai]], [[Achakzai]], [[Ishaqzai]], [[Noorzai]] and [[Alizai (Pashtun tribe)|Alezai]]. [[Pashto language|Pashtu]] is spoken by more than 98% of population and in more than 98% of villages. [[Dari language|Dari]] is spoken in six villages by 4000 people and [[Balochi language|Balochi]] is spoken by 8000 people in two villages. 19000 people in nine villages speak some other unspecified language."<ref name=demography>{{cite web |url=http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/Provincial%20Profiles/Kandahar%20PDP%20Provincial%20profile.pdf |title=B. Demography and Population |work=[[United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan]] and Afghanistan Statistical Yearbook 2006, Central Statistics Office |publisher=Afghanistan's [[Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321120424/http://www.mrrd-nabdp.org/Provincial%20Profiles/Kandahar%20PDP%20Provincial%20profile.pdf |archive-date=21 March 2012}}</ref>}}

In another report, by BBC news Farsi, there are roughly 50,000-100,000 Tajik or Persian speakers in the city of Kandahar.<ref>{{Cite news |last=هنریار |first=ارشاد |date=2019-05-26 |title=فارسی زبان‌های قندهار؛ پیشتاز زرگری و رای‌گیری |language=fa |work=BBC News فارسی |url=https://www.bbc.com/persian/afghanistan-48406606 |access-date=2020-07-26 |archive-date=7 August 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200807001602/https://www.bbc.com/persian/afghanistan-48406606 |url-status=live }}</ref> The "Council for Tajiks of the south" head office is also based in Kandahar city.<ref>{{Cite web |title=شورای همبستگی تاجیکان قندهار آغاز به فعالیت کرد |url=http://tajikmedia.com/?p=12037 |access-date=2020-07-26 |website=tajikmedia.com |archive-date=26 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200726072448/http://tajikmedia.com/?p=12037 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[Pashtun culture]], [[Pashtuns|history]], traditions, [[Pashtun clothing|clothing]] and [[Pashtunwali]] is dominant in this region.

== Notable people ==
{{div col|colwidth=20em}}
*[[Kandahari Begum]], wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan
*[[Nur Jahan]] – Empress of the [[Mughal Empire]]
*[[Mirwais Hotak]] – founder of the [[Hotak dynasty]]
*[[Abdul Aziz Hotak]] – ruler of the Hotak dynasty
*[[Mahmud Hotak]] – ruler of the Hotak dynasty and Shah of Persia
*[[Ashraf Hotak]] – Shah of Persia
*[[Hussain Hotak]] – ruler of the Hotak dynasty
*[[Ahmad Shah Durrani]] – founding father of Afghanistan, buried in the city
*[[Dost Mohammad Khan]] – Emir of Afghanistan and son of Payandah Khan
*[[Sher Ali Khan]] – Emir of Afghanistan and son of Dost Mohammad Khan
*[[Abdur Rahman Khan]] – Emir of Afghanistan and son of Dost Mohammad Khan
*[[Ghulam Muhammad Tarzi]] – leader of [[Tarzi]] family who played an important part in Afghan history during the late 19th century onward
*Abdul Rehman Khan, father of [[Bollywood]] actor [[Kader Khan]]
*[[Mohammad Ibraheem Khwakhuzhi]]
*[[Maryam Durani]] an Afghan activist and women's advocate
*[[Ubaidullah Jan]] – Pashto music king of southern Afghanistan
*[[Naghma]] – Afghan singer
*[[Nashenas]] – [[Music of Afghanistan|Afghan musician]]
*[[Abdul Hai Habibi]] – scholar, former professor at [[Kabul University]] and author of many books
*The [[Karzai (surname)|Karzais]] – the family of Afghan President [[Hamid Karzai]]
*[[Gul Agha Sherzai]] – served as the [[List of governors of Kandahar|governor of Kandahar Province]] followed by as [[List of governors of Nangarhar|governors of Nangarhar Province]]
*[[Said Tayeb Jawad]] – former [[Ambassadors of Afghanistan|Afghanistan Ambassador]] to the United States
*[[Yousef Pashtun]] – Afghan politician
*[[Khan Mohammad Mujahid]] – Alokozai tribe leader
{{div col end}}

==See also==
{{div col|colwidth=15em}}
*[[Kandahar Province]]
*[[Old Kandahar]]
*[[Arachosia]]
*[[Alexandria Arachosia]]
*[[Yazidis of Kandahar]]
*[[Operation Dreamseed]]
{{div col end}}

==Footnotes==
{{Reflist}}

==References==
*{{Cite book |last=Dupree |first=Nancy Hatch |title=An Historical Guide to Afghanistan |orig-year=1st Edition: 1970 |edition=2nd Edition, Revised and Enlarged |year=1977 |publisher=Afghan Tourist Organization}}
*Hill, John E. 2004. [http://depts.washington.edu/silkroad/texts/weilue/weilue.html ''The Peoples of the West from the Weilue''] 魏略 ''by Yu Huan'' 魚豢'': A Third Century Chinese Account Composed between 239 and 265 CE.'' Draft annotated English translation.
*Hill, John E. (2009) ''Through the Jade Gate to Rome: A Study of the Silk Routes during the Later Han dynasty, 1st to 2nd centuries CE''. BookSurge, Charleston, South Carolina. {{ISBN|978-1-4392-2134-1}}.
*Frye, Richard N. (1963). ''The Heritage of Persia''. World Publishing company, Cleveland, Ohio. Mentor Book edition, 1966.
*Toynbee, Arnold J. (1961). ''Between Oxus and Jumna''. London. Oxford University Press.
*[[Willem Vogelsang]] (1985). "Early historical Arachosia in South-east Afghanistan; Meeting-place between East and West." ''Iranica antiqua'', 20 (1985), pp. 55–99.
*Wood, Michael (1997). ''[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9790520231923 In the Footsteps of Alexander the Great: A Journey from Greece to Asia]''. University of California Press. {{ISBN|0-520-23192-9}}

==Further reading==
;Published in the 19th century
*{{Citation |publisher=B. Quaritch |location=London |author=Edward Balfour |author-link=Edward Balfour |title=Cyclopaedia of India |edition=3rd |date=1885 |chapter-url=https://archive.org/stream/cyclopaediaofind02balfuoft#page/490/mode/2up |chapter=Kandahar}}
*Boulger, Demetrius Charles. ''[http://www.wdl.org/en/item/11800/ Ought We to Hold Candahar?]''. London: William H. Allen and Company (1879).

;Published in the 20th century
*{{Cite EB1911|wstitle=Kandahar |volume=15 |last=Holdich |first=Thomas Hungerford |author-link=Thomas Hungerford Holdich |pages=648–649 |short=1 }}

;Published in the 21st century
*{{cite book |title=Historic Cities of the Islamic World |editor=C. Edmund Bosworth |year=2007 |publisher=[[Koninklijke Brill]] |location=Leiden |chapter=Kandahar}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20051027130028/http://www.aims.org.af/maps/urban/kandahar.pdf Map of Kandahar], from [[Afghanistan Information Management Services]]

{{AfghanistanLargestCities}}
{{Kandahar Province}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Kandahar| ]]
[[Category:Populated places established in the 4th century BC]]
[[Category:330s BC establishments]]
[[Category:Populated places in Kandahar Province]]
[[Category:Cities founded by Alexander the Great]]
[[Category:Populated places along the Silk Road]]
[[Category:Cities in Central Asia]]
[[Category:Cities in Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Provincial capitals in Afghanistan]]

Panjshir Valley

2022-10-28T21:42:06Z

VoiceOfPeace6:

{{Short description|Valley in northeastern Afghanistan}}
{{Infobox valley
|name=Panjsher Valley
|photo=File:Panjshir River Valley in May 2011.jpg
|photo_caption=A view of [[Afghanistan]]'s Panjshir Valley
|photo_size=300px
|map_image=Panjshir in Afghanistan.svg
|map_caption=Map of Afghanistan with [[Panjshir Province|Panjshir]] highlighted
|coordinates={{Coord|35|16|N|69|28|E|region:AF-PAN_type:landmark|display=title,inline}}
}}
The '''Panjshir Valley''' (also spelled '''Panjsher''' or '''Darah-I-Panjshir'''; [[Pashto]]/[[Dari]]: {{lang|ps|درهٔ پنجشير}} – ''Dare-ye Panjšēr''; literally ''Valley of the Five Lions'') is a valley in northeastern [[Afghanistan]], {{convert|150|km}} north of [[Kabul]], near the [[Hindu Kush]] mountain range.<ref name="Xinhua">{{cite news |title=Afghanistan gets rid of heavy arms in Panjshir |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/06/content_2657769.htm |agency=[[Xinhua]] |date=2005-03-06 |access-date=2006-11-22 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061016052847/http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2005-03/06/content_2657769.htm |archive-date=2006-10-16 }}</ref> It is divided by the [[Panjshir River]]. The valley is home to more than 100,000 people, including Afghanistan's largest concentration of ethnic [[Tājik people|Tajiks]].<ref name="LoC">{{cite web |title=Afghanistan |work=Library of Congress Country Studies |publisher=Library of Congress |year=1997 |url=http://lcweb2.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/r?frd/cstdy:@field(DOCID+af0038) |access-date= 2006-11-19}}</ref> In April 2004, it became the heart of the new [[Panjshir Province]], having previously been part of [[Parwan Province]].<ref>{{cite web|author1=American Forces Press Service|title=New Afghan Road Offers Gateway to Optimism|url=http://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=69|website=archive.defense.gov|publisher=U.S. Department of Defense|access-date=16 August 2017|language=en|date=5 July 2006}}</ref> Political this province has been considered the start point Afghanistan Jihad period against Soviet’s. This province is also the birthplace of Afghanistan’s national hero, Ahmad Shah Masoud.

==History==
[[File:Downed Helicopter (5453839178).jpg|thumb|left|Ruins of a downed Soviet helicopter in Panjshir, 2011]]
In 1975, the valley was the site of an uprising by Panjshir's residents under the leadership of [[Ahmad Shah Massoud]] against the [[Daoud Khan]]'s government.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Ansar |first1=Massoud |title=Furious Kabul Residents Slam Govt Over Massoud Day Mayhem |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/furious-kabul-residents-slam-govt-over-massoud-day-mayhem |website=TOLOnews |language=en |date=9 September 2018}}</ref>

It was the site of the [[Panjshir offensives]] fought by the [[Democratic Republic of Afghanistan]] and the [[Soviet Union|Soviets]] against the [[mujahideen]] during the [[Soviet–Afghan War]] from 1980 to 1985, when local commander [[Ahmad Shah Massoud]] successfully defended the valley.

The valley again witnessed renewed fighting during the [[Afghan Civil War (1996–2001)|1996–2001 civil war]] between the [[Taliban]] and the [[Northern Alliance]] under the command of Massoud, where he again defended it from being overrun by the Taliban.<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2002/02/junger200202|title=Massoud's Last Conquest|first=Sebastian|last=Junger|magazine=Vanity Fair}}</ref> The Panjshir Valley was considered one of Afghanistan's safest regions during the era of the [[International Security Assistance Force|ISAF]]-backed government<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.thenationalnews.com/world/foreign-kayakers-surprise-afghans-in-the-panjshir-valley-1.136676|title=Foreign kayakers surprise Afghans in the Panjshir Valley|date=August 2, 2016|website=The National}}</ref> and in late August 2021, warlords tried to make the valley a bastion of [[National Resistance Front of Afghanistan|resistance to the Taliban]] in Afghanistan.<ref>{{Cite web|title=As Taliban takes over, one Afghan province is still standing strong – Here's the story of Ahmad Shah Massoud and his bastion Panjshir|url=https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/as-taliban-takes-over-one-afghan-province-is-still-standing-strong-heres-the-story-of-ahmad-shah-massoud-and-his-bastion-panjshir|access-date=2021-08-17|website=Free Press Journal|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021-08-18|title='Panjshir stands strong': Afghanistan's last holdout against the Taliban|url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/aug/18/panjshir-stands-strong-afghanistans-last-holdout-against-the-taliban|access-date=2021-08-20|website=the Guardian|language=en}}</ref> The Taliban announced that hundreds of fighters were headed towards the valley on 22 August 2021.

"Former Vice President [[Amrullah Saleh]] and [[Ahmad Massoud]], son of former anti-Soviet Mujahideen commander Ahmad Shah Massoud, have vowed to resist the Taliban from Panjshir, which repelled both Soviet forces and the Taliban in the 1980s and 1990s. <ref>{{Cite web|date=21 August 2021|title=Anti-Taliban Forces Say They've Taken Three Districts in Afghanistan's North|url=https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-08-21/anti-taliban-forces-say-theyve-taken-three-districts-in-afghanistans-north|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210822025358/https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2021-08-21/anti-taliban-forces-say-theyve-taken-three-districts-in-afghanistans-north|archive-date=22 August 2021|website=usnews.com}}</ref> The Alliance has claimed to "Retake Districts in Northeast Afghanistan" <ref>{{Cite web|last=Ditz|first=Jason|date=2021-08-22|title=Anti-Taliban Force Retakes Districts in Northeast Afghanistan|url=https://news.antiwar.com/2021/08/22/anti-taliban-force-retakes-districts-in-northeast-afghanistan/|url-status=live|access-date=2021-09-04|website=Antiwar.com|language=en-US}}</ref> on August 22 led by former military, special forces, police and more. The Biden administration has not publicly answered the plea made by [[Ahmad Massoud]] in a op-ed in ''The Washington Post'' for help restocking the anti-Taliban forces with supplies.<ref>{{Cite news|date=18 August 2021|title=Mujahideen resistance taliban ahmad massoud|newspaper=[[Washington Post]]|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2021/08/18/mujahideen-resistance-taliban-ahmad-massoud/}}</ref> On 25 August 2021, it was revealed that a delegation of [[National Resistance Front of Afghanistan|Panjshir resistance]] forces in the nearby [[Parwan]] city of [[Charikar]] were holding talks with a Taliban delegation and that the Taliban by this point ceased blocking routes to the Panjshir Valley "after one or a maximum of two days."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.voanews.com/south-central-asia/afghan-resistance-delegation-meets-taliban-charikar|title=Afghan Resistance Delegation Meets With Taliban in Charikar|first1=Ayesha|last1=Tanzeem|first2=Tahir|last2=Khan|publisher=Voice of America|date=25 August 2021|accessdate=28 August 2021}}</ref> On September 6, 2021, Taliban claims to have overtaken the insurgents holding out in Panjshir Valley and killed Fahim Dashty, spokesperson of Ahmad Massoud's resistance front<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ifj.org/media-centre/news/detail/category/press-releases/article/afghanistan-journalist-leader-fahim-dashti-killed-in-taliban-attack-in-panjshir-valley.html |title=Afghanistan: Journalist leader Fahim Dashti killed in Taliban attack in Panjshir Valley |date=6 September 2021 |website=www.ifj.org}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/world/india/taliban-claim-control-panjshir-evacuation-flights-await-clearance-2021-09-06/|title=Taliban claim control of Panjshir, opposition says resistance will continue|newspaper=Reuters|date=September 7, 2021|via=www.reuters.com}}</ref> However, Resistance fighters were still confirmed to be present in the Panjshir Valley.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Roggio |first1=Bill |title=Taliban completes conquest of Afghanistan after seizing Panjshir |url=https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2021/09/taliban-completes-conquest-of-afghanistan-after-seizing-panjshir.php |access-date=7 September 2021 |publisher=FDD's Long War Journal |date=6 September 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.ft.com/content/5b4b7b58-1edf-4510-ad15-813487f3c80e|title=Taliban says it has captured last Afghan region of resistance|last1=Kazmin|first1=Amy|last2=Findlay|first2=Stephanie|last3=Bokhari|first3=Farhan|work=[[Financial Times]]|date=6 September 2021|access-date=7 September 2021}}</ref> On September 9, 2021, Ali Maisam Nazary, the Resistance's foreign relations head, denied reports of full Taliban control of the Panjshir province, stating that 60% was still under [[National Resistance Front of Afghanistan|National Resistance Front]] control.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.firstpost.com/world/nrf-says-60-percent-of-afghanistans-panjshir-still-under-control-ahmad-massoud-and-amrullah-saleh-alive-9950481.html|title=NRF says 60 percent of Afghanistan's Panjshir still under control, Ahmad Massoud and Amrullah Saleh alive|publisher=First Post|date=9 September 2021|accessdate=9 September 2021}}</ref> Claims of full Taliban control were further refuted when reporters from Iran's [[Tasnim News Agency]] were able to visit the Valley on 11 September and interview not only a Taliban fighter but also a local NRF fighter stationed in the area.<ref name=tasnimvisits>{{cite web|url=https://www.tasnimnews.com/en/news/2021/09/12/2570233/exclusive-taliban-claim-to-have-conquered-entire-panjshir|title=Exclusive: Taliban Claim to Have Conquered Entire Panjshir|date=12 September 2021|access-date=2021-09-15|work=Tasnim News Agency}}</ref> Despite Taliban claims of calm in the Valley, Tasnim News Agency also reported that some local residents were fleeing in anticipation of future military clashes.<ref name=tasnimvisits /> In an interview which was published on 21 September 2021, [[Ahmad Wali Massoud]] told [[TRT World]] journalist Samuel Ramani that the Resistance still controls much of the Valley and stated that the Taliban, which he described as "leaderless," had a weaker hold than it appeared.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/former-afghan-ambassador-to-uk-says-the-taliban-is-weaker-than-it-looks-50117|title=Former Afghan ambassador to UK says the Taliban is weaker than it looks|first=Samuel|last=Ramani|publisher=TRT World|date=21 September 2021|accessdate=22 September 2021}}</ref>

== Economy and natural resources ==
[[File:Buildings in Panjshir Province, Afghanistan.JPG|thumb|Buildings in the valley in front of the [[Panjshir River]]]]
The Panjshir Valley has the potential to become a major centre of [[emerald]] mining. As early as the 1st century AD, [[Pliny the Elder]] commented on gemstones from the region.<ref name="Bowersox">{{cite journal|last=Bowersox|first=Gary|author2=Lawrence W. Snee |author3=Eugene E. Foord |author4=Robert R. Seal II |title=Emeralds of the Panjshir Valley, Afghanistan|journal=Gems and Gemology|publisher=Gemological Society of America|year=1991|volume=Spring|pages=26–39|doi=10.5741/GEMS.27.1.26}}</ref> In the [[Middle Ages]], Panjshir was famed for its [[silver]] mining and the [[Saffarid dynasty|Saffarids]] and [[Samanid dynasty|Samanids]] minted their coins there.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia|title=Pandjhir| encyclopedia = [[Encyclopaedia of Islam]]| edition = CD-ROM v. 1.0|publisher=Koninklijke Brill NV|location=Leiden, The Netherlands|year=1999}}</ref> As of 1985, emeralds upwards of {{convert|190|carat|g}} had been found in Panjshir, reported to rival in quality the finest crystals of the [[Muzo]] mine in Colombia.<ref name="Bowersox"/> American [[Reconstruction in Afghanistan|reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan]] sparked a development boom in the valley with the construction of new modern roads and a new radio tower that allows valley residents to pick up radio signals from the Afghan capital, [[Kabul]].<ref name="WashingtonPost">{{cite news |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/28/AR2007092801903.html |date=2007-09-28 |access-date=2007-10-09 |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |last=Anderson |first=John Ward |title=A Haven of Prosperity in Afghanistan: U.S. Building Effort Blooms in Panjshir |page=A11}}</ref> The valley has the potential of being an energy hub for Afghanistan, through construction of several hydroelectric dams. Rewat locality could be the site of the first dam. The valley could make the capital region power self-reliant.

The Panjshir has always been an important highway. Nearly {{convert|100|km}} long, it leads to two passes over the Hindu Kush – the [[Khawak Pass]] (3,848 m) leading to Afghanistan's northern plains, and the [[Anjuman Pass]] (4,430 m) that crosses into [[Badakhshan]] – used by the armies of [[Alexander the Great]] and [[Timur]].

A 10-turbine wind farm was built in Panjshir Valley in April 2008.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Power to the People: Getting 'off the grid' |date=2008-07-16 |access-date=2010-01-10 |url=http://www.ecobob.co.nz/EcoArticle/1776/0/Power-to-the-People--Getting-off-the-grid.aspx |publisher=EcoBob |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090223230238/http://www.ecobob.co.nz/EcoArticle/1776/0/Power-to-the-People--Getting-off-the-grid.aspx |archive-date=2009-02-23 }}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://nps.edu/documents/105988371/107571257/PanjshirBasicMap.jpg Panjshir Valley's Districts]
* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5o2d_8DUDDs Where the Sun Rises: Afghanistan] (video Sept. 1, 2017)
* [https://www.flickr.com/search/?q=panjshir&m=text Photographs from the Panjshir Province]

{{Panjshir Province}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Valleys of Afghanistan]]
[[Category:Landforms of Panjshir Province]]

Khair Khāna

2022-10-28T21:40:13Z

VoiceOfPeace6: Add two sentence information

{{Infobox settlement
| name = Khair Khāna
| native_name = خیرخانه
| native_name_lang = fa
| settlement_type = [[Neighborhoods of Kabul|Neighborhood of Kabul]]
| image_alt =
| image_skyline = Khair Khana in 2012.jpg
| image_caption = Khair Khana bazaar in 2012
| image_flag =
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| coordinates = {{coord|34.576996|N|69.130620|E|display=inline,title|region:AF_type:city_source:GNS-enwiki}}
| coor_pinpoint =
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| subdivision_type = Country
| subdivision_name = {{AFG}}
| subdivision_type1 = [[Provinces of Afghanistan|Province]]
| subdivision_name1 = [[Kabul Province]]
| subdivision_type2 = [[List of cities in Afghanistan|City]]
| subdivision_name2 = [[Kabul City]]
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'''Khair Khāna''' ({{lang-fa|خير خانه}}) is a neighborhood in north west [[Kabul]], [[Afghanistan]], part of District 11. It is predominantly a residential [[suburb]] about 6 km from central Kabul, with a boom of [[high rise]] constructions and modern [[apartment]]s, as the area has seen major redevelopments.{{Citation needed|date=November 2017}} To its southwest is the Shamāli Square and the Kabul-[[Charikar]] highway.the most people were live there is Tajik. Khair khana has a beautiful park in that part of Kabul there are lots of Hospitals, Schools the privets and the Governmental school’s , Private courses, And a very famous place for shopping were has a lots of markets. This neighborhood has been considered as one most populated areas of Kabul city.

== History ==
Construction of Khair Khāna began during the late 1960s and early 1970s, as a plan to expand the city of Kabul. It mostly consists of regular blocks and paved road grids. Many of its residents are ethnic [[Tajiks]] from the provinces north of Kabul.<ref>https://www.afghanistan-analysts.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Kabul-Police-Districts.pdf {{Bare URL PDF|date=March 2022}}</ref>

Khair Khana mostly survived the ordeal of the [[Afghan Civil War (1992–96)]] which destroyed most of Kabul, with the neighborhood remaining largely intact. Many people from other parts of Kabul came here to take shelter.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://open_jicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12068151.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2018-01-23 |archive-date=2019-07-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190712164258/http://open_jicareport.jica.go.jp/pdf/12068151.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> One of the reasons why Khair Khana was spared is because of its north-western location – it was far from the [[Hezb-i Islami Gulbuddin]] forces who were attacking the city from the south-east, and in later years the [[Taliban]] who were based to the south.

== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Khair Khana}}
[[Category:Neighborhoods of Kabul]]

{{Kabul-geo-stub}}