Khost (Matun) District
| Khost District | |
|---|---|
| District | |
 | |
 | |
| Country |
 |
| Province | Khost Province |
| District center | Khost |
| Population (2006.[1]) | |
| • Total | 160,214 |
| Time zone | UTC+4:30 (D† (Afghanistan Standard Time)) |
Khost (Matun) District (Pashto: خوست ولسوالۍ, Persian: ولسوالی خوست) is situated in the central and eastern part of Khost Province, Afghanistan. The district center is the town of Khost. Khost Airfield is situated 2 miles southeast of the town of Khost.
History
Nadir Shah era
When Nadir Shah was a general, he was responsible for putting down an uprising in the District, where the locals had rebelled against the Amir due to heavy taxation and robbery.[2]
British era
On 2 January 1879, General Roberts entered Matun from Hazir Pir in the Kurram valley, with a small armed contingent.[3] The intent was to pacify the district, which was described as "an unsophisticated country where the revenue had hitherto been collected in copper."[4]
Soviet-Afghan War
During the Soviet-Afghan War, the mujahideen guerrillas, blockaded Khost District, cutting off all lines of communication. The Soviets were forced to respond with Operation Magistral in 1987 to reopen the Khost-Gardez Road and bring relief to the District.[5] Khost District was the scene of intense fighting in 1987, with over 1500 guerrillas and one American adviser killed by DRA troops, according to Tass, the official Soviet news agency.[6]
References
- ↑ Khost Provincial Assessment, MRRD
- ↑ Asia: journal of the American Asiatic Association, Volume 20.
- ↑ David Gillard, Great Britain. Foreign Office. British documents on foreign affairs--reports and papers from the Foreign Office confidential print: From the mid-nineteenth century to the First World War. The Near and Middle East, 1856-1914, Volume 12. University Publications of America, 1984
- ↑ Eliakim Littell. Living age ..., Volume 208. The Living Age Co. Inc., 1896
- ↑ Lester W Grau. The bear went over the mountain Soviet combat tactics in Afghanistan. DIANE Publishing. ISBN 1-4289-8148-9, ISBN 978-1-4289-8148-5
- ↑ The Soviets Report American Killed in Afghanistan. The Dispatch, Lexington NC. 28 Dec 1987.