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102-541: Nijrāb (Pashto/Persian: نجراب) is a city with five valleys in Kapisa Province , Afghanistan . It is located at 34°58′39″N 69°34′27″E  /  34.9775°N 69.5742°E  / 34.9775; 69.5742 at 1,613 m altitude. There are a medical clinic, schools and radio station in the District. Nijrab is the most populous city of Kapisa, while Nijrab District , with a population of 114,726 (2015),

204-455: A malaria outbreak during the flood season, Balkh lost its administrative status to the neighbouring city of Mazar-i-Sharif ( Mazār-e Šarīf ), about 20 kilometres (12 mi) southeast of Balkh. In 1911 Balkh comprised a settlement of about 500 houses of Afghan settlers, a colony of Jews and a small bazaar set in the midst of a waste of ruins and acres of debris. Entering by the west ( Akcha ) gate, one passed under three arches, in which

306-593: A Brigade-strength Task Force under Task Force Lafayette ( Brigade La Fayette ). At the same time, the Kapisa PRT, formerly the Parwan-Kapisa PRT, relocated from Bagram Airbase to FOB Morales-Frazier , focusing exclusively on operations in the Kapisa Province for the following three years. The French military's growing frustration with their inability to make progress resulted in tensions with

408-646: A constant tug-of-war between the French and the insurgents. In early 2009, French forces embarked on a significant campaign which aimed to retake an eastern Alasay District that the Taliban has controlled for the previous year. Alasay district is a strategic goldmine: it lies along a primary infiltration route into and out of Pakistan, it provides easy access to Kabul in an easily defensible primary valley (there are two other valleys in Alasay District), and it

510-430: A famous wine from Kapisa. The city of Kapiśi also appeared as Kaviśiye on Graeco-Indian coins of Apollodotus I and Eucratides . Archeological discoveries in 1939 confirmed that the city of Kapisa was an emporium for Kapiśayana wine, bringing to light numerous glass flasks, fish-shaped wine jars, and drinking cups typical of the wine trade of the era. The grapes ( Kapiśayani Draksha ) and wine ( Kapiśayani Madhu ) of

612-613: A firm hold over lands beyond the Oxus for the Arabs. He fought and killed Tarkhan Nizak in Tokharistan (Bactria) in 715. In the wake of Arab conquest, the resident monks of the Vihara were either killed or forced to abandon their faith. The Viharas were razed to the ground. Priceless treasures in the form of manuscripts in the libraries of monasteries were consigned to ashes. Presently, only

714-568: A large number of stupas and other religious monuments. Xuanzang also remarked that Buddhism was widely practiced by the Hunnish rulers of Balkh, who were descended from Indian royal stock. During the 8th century, the Korean monk and traveler Hyecho (704–787 CE) recorded that even after the Arab invasion, the residents of Balkh continued to practice Buddhism and followed a Buddhist king. He noted that

816-499: A league with him, and settling his affairs in the east, proceeded to join in the war against Antigonus. As soon as the forces, therefore, of all the confederates were united, a battle was fought, in which Antigonus was slain, and his son Demetrius put to flight. Having consolidated power in the northwest, Chandragupta pushed east towards the Nanda Empire . Afghanistan's significant ancient tangible and intangible Buddhist heritage

918-738: A major trade commodity in the province. Once a week, a trade day (called a Mela ) occurs. The concept of the mela is ancient, and translates to "party" in Persian , as the event is as much a social event as a trade day. Kapisa is primarily a farming province. Agriculture, livestock, and trade and services account for the majority of commercial activity. Agriculture is a significant source of income for 62% of households. However, commerce and services provide income to 32 percent of rural households, while non-farm-related labor provides income to 35 percent of rural households. Cotton, sesame, tobacco, confection, honey, karakul skin, and sugar sweets appear to be

1020-457: A raid near the village of Inzeri in the Tagab district of Kapisa. While coalition forces claimed at least 15 insurgents were killed (including a local Taliban commander), local villagers claimed that many of those killed were actually civilians. The raid was strongly criticized by Afghan president Hamid Karzai , who stated that such raids undermine the national government. The villagers were paid

1122-817: A similar vein, the British author John G. Bennett , whose academic focus was on the teachings of the Armenian-Greek mystic George Gurdjieff , speculated in his works that Shambhala may have been a Bactrian Sun temple called Shams-i-Balkh , taking note of the Afghan author and mystic Idries Shah as the source of this suggestion. Wilhelm Eilers proposed that the region was named after the Balkh River (in Greek transliteration Βάκτρος ) from underlying Bāxtri- , itself meaning 'she who divides', etymologically from

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1224-468: A skilled birth attendant fell from 12% in 2005 to 7% in 2011. In 2008, the Kapisa Province has 24 health clinics and two hospitals with a total capacity of 110 beds. According to data from 2008, the Ministry of Health employs 34 doctors and 154 other health professionals in the province. There are 72 pharmacies in the province. The majority of villages do not have a permanent health worker. Nearly half of

1326-532: A term for part of the city was Zariaspa ( Ancient Greek : Ζαρίασπα), which may derive from the important Zoroastrian fire temple Azar-i-Asp or from a Median name * Ζaryāspa- meaning "having gold-coloured horses". The nickname of Balkh is "the Mother of All Cities". Balkh was earlier considered to be the first city to which the ancient Iranic peoples moved from north of the Amu Darya (also known as

1428-482: A total of $ 40,000 in condolence payments, and received an apology for any civilian deaths. On 17 November 2009, Taliban insurgents fired rockets on a bazaar in Tagab district where French forces were meeting with tribal elders, killing 10 Afghan civilians and wounding 28. Kapisa is seen as an important piece of property in the war against insurgency in the country, the province has been called "the gateway to Kabul", it

1530-736: A vassal of the Seljuks. The next year, he marched against rebellious Oghuz Turks from Khuttal and Tukharistan . But he was defeated twice and was captured after a second battle in Merv. The Oghuzs looted Khorasan after their victory. Balkh was nominally ruled by Mahmud Khan, the former khan of Western Karakhanids, but the real power was held by Muayyid al-Din Ay Aba, amir of Nishabur for three years. Sanjar finally escaped from captivity and returned to Merv through Termez . He died in 1157 and control of Balkh passed to Mahmud Khan until his death in 1162. It

1632-400: A woman known only as the khatun (lady) of Davud, from 848 appointed governor of Balkh, had taken over from him with "particular responsibility for the city and people" while he was busy building himself an elaborate pleasure palace called Nawshǎd (New Joy). In 1220 Genghis Khan sacked Balkh, butchered its inhabitants and levelled all the buildings capable of defence – treatment to which it

1734-556: Is also the most populous district of Kapisa. Five valleys in Nijrab are: This Kapisa Province , Afghanistan location article is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Kapisa Province The earliest references to Kapisa appear in the writings of the fifth century BCE Indian scholar Pāṇini . Pāṇini refers to the city of Kapiśi, a city of the Kapisa kingdom, modern Bagram . Pāṇini also refers to Kapiśayana ,

1836-420: Is completely dilapidated and uninhabited, but anyone seeing it would think it to be inhabited because of the solidity of its construction (for it was a vast and important city), and its mosques and colleges preserve their outward appearance even now, with the inscriptions on their buildings incised with lapis-blue paints." It was not reconstructed until 1338. It was captured by Tamerlane in 1389 and its citadel

1938-412: Is found in the writings of the geographer Ibn Hawqal , an Arab traveler of the 10th century, who describes Balkh as built of clay, with ramparts and six gates, and extending for half a parasang . He also mentions a castle and a mosque. A large number of Sanskrit medical, pharmacological, and toxicological texts were translated into Arabic under the patronage of Khalid, the vizier of Al-Mansur. Khalid

2040-690: Is located at the north of the site and is oval in shape, having an area of around 1,500 by 1,000 m2 (c. 150 hectares) and to the south is the lower town. Another mound of the site, known as Tepe Zargaran, and the Northern Fortification Wall of Balkh, were occupied at a large extension in Achaemenid times ( Yaz III period, c. 540-330 BC). Since the Iranic people built one of their first kingdoms in Balkh, some scholars believe that it

2142-557: Is located in Kohistan district, the university was built by Ahmad Shah Massoud . The overall literacy rate (6+ years of age) fell from 39% in 2005 to 31% in 2011. The overall net enrolment rate (6–13 years of age) fell from 60% in 2005 to 55% in 2011. In Kapisa Province, the general literacy rate is 39 percent; however, although 53 percent of men are literate, only 23% of women are. 60 percent of youngsters aged six to thirteen are enrolled in school. There were 112,544 pupils enrolled in

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2244-556: Is mostly populated by the ethnic minority the Pashai and some Nuristani . In a French-led NATO force initiated, the operation was a success initially, due to reaching out to locals beforehand, they retook the entire valley with a single casualty over a single day of fighting. Almost immediately, the Afghans of the valley welcomed the French, and things seemed to be looking up. However, they didn't stay. Much as in previous efforts to "sweep"

2346-402: Is now deployed in Kapisa and of the Afghan police who now are solely responsible for providing the province's security. A transition ceremony for Kapisa Province was held July 4, 2012, formalizing the symbolic transfer of responsibility of the province from ISAF to Afghan authorities as part of the transition process in the province launched May 13, 2012; the Afghan security forces began to take

2448-414: Is part of Bactria. Balkh is well known to Buddhists as the hometown of Trapusa and Bahalika , two merchants who, according to scripture, became Buddha 's first disciples. They were the first to offer Buddha food after he attained enlightenment, and in return Buddha gave them eight of his hairs to remember him by. According to some accounts, Trapusa and Bahalika returned to Balkh, and built two stupas in

2550-529: Is particularly known for its archeological sites, which attest the presence of many different civilizations that influenced the town's society in various eras. The Belgian-French explorer and spiritualist Alexandra David-Néel associated Balkh with Shambhala , a mythical kingdom that features prominently in ancient Tibetan Buddhism , and also offered the Persian Sham-i-Bala ( lit.   ' elevated candle ' ) as an etymology of its name. In

2652-516: Is recorded through wide-ranging archeological finds, including religious and artistic remnants. Buddhist doctrines are reported to have even reached as far as Balkh during the life of the Buddha (563 BCE to 483 BCE), as recorded by Xuanzang . In this context, a legend recorded by Xuanzang refers to the first two lay disciples of Buddha, Trapusa and Bhallika responsible for introducing Buddhism in that country. Originally these two were merchants of

2754-458: Is viewed as an important area even as small as it is. A densely packed, multiethnic enclave in steep valleys surrounded by tall mountains. It has unique ethnicities like the Pashai and Parachi, unique Pashtuns like the Safi, and many Tajik dominated areas. Kapisa has been the site of several failed attempts at counterinsurgency since 2005. There have been at least two special operations sweeps through

2856-458: Is written in the Avesta as Bāxδi ( Avestan : 𐬠𐬁𐬑𐬜𐬌‎ ) . From this came the intermediate form Bāxli , Sanskrit Bahlīka (also Balhika ) for "Bactrian", and by transposition the modern Persian Balx , i.e. Balkh , and Armenian Bahl . This same root entered the Greek language as Baktra ( Ancient Greek : Βάκτρα), often written in the form Bactra . An earlier name for Balkh or

2958-517: The Nava Vihara described by the Chinese traveller Xuanzang . There are the remains of many other topes (or stupas ) in the neighbourhood. The mounds of ruins on the road to Mazar-e Sharif probably represent the site of a city yet older than those on which stands the modern Balkh. Numerous places of interest are to be seen today aside from the ancient ruins and fortifications: The museum

3060-722: The Abbasids (next Sunni Caliphate dynasty) during the Abbasid Revolution . The city remained in Abbasid hands until 861 , when it was taken in 870 by the Saffarids captured it. In 870, Ya'qub ibn al-Layth al-Saffar rebelled against Abbasid rule and founded the Saffarid dynasty at Sistan . He captured present Afghanistan and most of present Iran . His successor Amr ibn al-Layth , tried to capture Transoxiana from

3162-733: The Kingdom of Israel during the Assyrian captivity . This account is discussed in the works of the Egyptian historian Al-Maqrizi , who wrote that the arrival and establishment of the Jews in Balkh had occurred in light of Sennacherib's campaign in the Levant . Additionally, a number of geographers from the Arab world attested the existence of a monument called Bāb al-Yahūd ( lit.   ' Gate of

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3264-699: The Maimana Khanate . In 1751, Balkh was captured by Ahmad Shah Durrani of the Durrani Empire . The area of Balkh was governed by the Uzbek Qataghan dynasty, with its capital in Khulm , for the majority of the early nineteenth century, and only nominally acknowledged Kabul's suzerainty. During this time, the Qataghan dynasty also competed with Bukhara in interdynastic conflicts throughout

3366-594: The Proto-Indo-European root * bhag- 'to divide' (whence also Avestan bag- and Old Indic bháj- ). The Bactrian language name of the city was βαχλο, i.e. Bakhlo . In Middle Persian texts , it was named Baxl, i.e. Bakhl ( Middle Persian : 𐭡𐭠𐭧𐭫 ). The name of the province or country also appears in the Old Persian inscriptions (B.h.i 16; Dar Pers e.16; Nr. a.23) as Bāxtri , i.e. Bakhtri ( Old Persian : 𐎲𐎠𐎧𐎫𐎼𐎡𐏁 ). It

3468-672: The Samanids , who were nominally vassals of Abbasids, but he was defeated and captured by Ismail Samani at Battle of Balkh in 900. He was sent to the Abbasid Caliph as a prisoner and was executed in 902. The power of Saffarids was diminished and they became vassals of the Samanids. Thus Balkh now passed to them. Samanid rule in Balkh lasted until 997, when their former subordinates, the Ghaznavids , captured it. In 1006, Balkh

3570-503: The Second Anglo-Afghan War : "a considerable colony of Jews, who have a separate quarter of the village to themselves, and appeared, so far as we could judge, to be fair-looking men with most unmistakably Jewish features ." Hiwi al-Balkhi , a 9th-century exegete and Bible critic , was born in Balkh and is widely believed to have been a Bukharan Jew , at least by ethnicity , as some scholars have asserted that he

3672-532: The 11th century, when Jews were forced to maintain a garden for Mahmud of Ghazni and pay a minority tax of 500 dirhams . According to Jewish oral history , under Timur of the Timurid Empire , the Jews of Balkh were given a gated city quarter of their own to live in. There was still a substantial Jewish community in Balkh as late as 1885, as attested by the British administrator Charles Yate following

3774-486: The 1640s. Nevertheless, Balkh was ruled by the Mughal Empire from 1641 and turned into a subah (imperial top-level province) in 1646 by Shah Jahan , only to be lost in 1647, just like the neighboring Badakhshan Subah . Balkh was the government seat of Aurangzeb in his youth. In 1736 it was conquered by Nader Shah . After his assassination, local Uzbek Hadji Khan declared the independence of Balkh in 1747, under

3876-482: The 181 elementary, intermediate, and high schools in 2008. Boys made for 66% of students, while boys' schools accounted for 51% of all schools. In the schools, there were 3,657 instructors, with 12 percent of them being female. With one university and a teacher training college, the province also provides a number of higher education options. The percentage of households with clean drinking water fell from 27% in 2005 to 15% in 2011. The percentage of births attended to by

3978-495: The Afghans they were meant to support. These tensions stemmed in large part from the challenge of the overall ISAF missions to build support for the legitimate government of Afghanistan with the realities of the dysfunctional local government within Kapisa. The provincial governor, Ghulam Qawis Abubaker , was widely viewed as corrupt and was accused by contractors and district officials of funding insurgent elements in order to keep Kapisa unstable enough to keep PRT dollars coming into

4080-512: The Caliphate of Uthman , 644–656 AD). Attracted by the grandeur and wealth of Balkh, they attacked it in 645 AD. It was only in 653 when Arab commander al-Ahnaf raided the town again and compelled it to pay tribute. The Arab hold over the town, however, remained tenuous. The area was brought under Arab control only after it was reconquered by Muawiya in 663 AD. Prof. Upasak describes the effect of this conquest in these words: "The Arabs plundered

4182-667: The Greco-Bactrian kingdom, it was ruled by Indo-Scythians , Parthians , Indo-Parthians , Kushan Empire , Indo-Sassanids , Kidarites , Hephthalite Empire and Sassanid Persians before the arrival of the Arabs . Bactrian documents - in the Bactrian language , written from the fourth to eighth centuries - consistently evoke the name of local deities, such as Kamird and Wakhsh, for example, as witnesses to contracts. The documents come from an area between Balkh and Bamiyan , which

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4284-600: The Jews ' ) and a settlement called al- Yahūdiyya at the site of Balkh. Some Muslims believe that the Israelite prophet Jeremiah fled to Balkh during the Babylonian captivity and that the Israelite prophet Ezekiel was buried there, though Jews revere Ezekiel's Tomb in modern-day Iraq as the site of his final resting place. Balkh's Jewish community was further noted in the Ghaznavid Empire during

4386-615: The National Security forces; these included ancient relics belonging to 2 BC and 4 BC mostly from Kohistan district. Before 2012, French forces were complemented by U.S. forces through Provincial Reconstruction Teams and Human Terrain Teams . The province was served by the Kapisa PRT, located at Forward Operating Base Morales-Frazier in Nijrab District . The PRT conducted counterinsurgency and stability operations in

4488-628: The Oxus in Greek), between 2000 and 1500 BC. However it was only recently that archaeological remains before 500 BC were found by French archaeologists led by Johanna Lhullier and Julio Bendezu-Sarmiento in the section called Bala Hissar, which is the citadel of the site. They dated this first settlement to the Early Iron Age ( Yaz I period, c.  1500 -1000 BC) continuing until pre-Achaemenid times ( Yaz II period, c. 1000-540 BC). Bala Hissar

4590-599: The Shen breed of horses from the area, and also notes the production of many types of cereals and fruits, as well as a scented root called Yu-kin. The Kapisa province territory fell to the Maurya Empire , which was led by Chandragupta Maurya . The Mauryas promoted both Buddhism and Hinduism to the region which was entirely Hindu for all its history till then, and were planning to capture more territory of Central Asia when they decimated local Greco-Bactrian forces and

4692-520: The Tagab Valley. The French presence there had reduced the ability of militants in Kapisa to launch attacks into Kabul. When the French leave, the U.S. would not have the troops to fill in the gap, leaving a big opportunity for militants north of Kabul to strike back. Most of the province population believe that the long-term presence of foreign forces in Afghanistan can only serve to perpetuate

4794-675: The Valley. Whatever it be, their Kashmiri origin is undoubted and this also explains the deep interest of the Barmaks, in later years, in Kashmir, for we know they were responsible for inviting several scholars and physicians from Kashmir to the Court of Abbasids." Prof. Maqbool also refers to the descriptions of Kashmir contained in the report prepared by the envoy of Yahya bin Barmak. He surmises that

4896-601: The ancient city was also known to the Persians as Zariaspa and to the Greeks as Bactra , giving its name to Bactria . As such, it was famously known as the capital of Bactria or Tokharistan . The Italian explorer and writer Marco Polo described Balkh as "a noble city and a great seat of learning" prior to the Mongol conquests . Most of the town now consists of ruined buildings, situated some 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from

4998-459: The ancient wall of the town, which once encircled it, stands partially. Nava-Vihara stands in ruins, near Takhta-i-Rustam. In 726, the Umayyad governor Asad ibn Abdallah al-Qasri rebuilt Balkh and installed in it an Arab garrison, while in his second governorship, a decade later, he transferred the provincial capital there. The Umayyad period lasted until 747, when Abu Muslim captured it for

5100-484: The area are referred to in several works of ancient Indian literature. The epic Mahabharata also mentions the common practice of slavery in the city. Based on the account of the Chinese pilgrim Xuanzang , who visited in AD 644, it seems that in later times Kapisa was part of a kingdom ruled by a kshatriya king holding sway over ten neighboring states, including Lampaka, Nagarahara , Gandhara , and Banu. Xuanzang notes

5202-471: The area, and at least three major Coalition efforts to clear and hold territory. The province of Kapisa is an area that constitutes an invisible boundary between a zone to the west and north where the population is Tajik, and generally hostile to the Taliban, and the steep-sided valleys to the south-east dominated by the Pashtun and Pashai people, where there is a lot of rebel activity. This ethnic split lies at

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5304-601: The area. Only through the conquests of the Emirate of Kabul 's Dost Mohammad Khan in the 1850s (see also; Afghan Conquest of Balkh ), followed by those of Abdur Rahman Khan in 1888, did the region of "little Turkestan" to the south of the Amu Darya (also known as Oxus River) become a permanent part of Afghanistan. By 1885, Charles Yate reported that the city was "nothing but a vast ruin" and that there were no more than 500 houses, occupied mostly by "Afghan settlers" and with "very few Usbegs" (i.e. Uzbeks). In 1866, after

5406-509: The chief general of Alexander Seleucus. Seleucus is said to have reached a peace treaty with Chandragupta by giving his daughter in marriage, control of the territory south of the Hindu Kush to the Mauryas and 500 elephants. Alexander took these away from the Aryans and established settlements of his own, but lasted only a decade before Seleucus Nicator gave them to Sandrocottus ( Chandragupta ), upon terms of intermarriage and of receiving in exchange 500 elephants. Some time after, as he

5508-500: The community level and alleviate the concerns villagers had with existing projects and bypassing the provincial leadership. This strategy continued to gain support across the coalition elements as provincial officials were being arrested for having ties to the insurgency. When a bombing in central district of Nijrab killed four French soldiers in June 2012, within France the bombing resonated deeply: while President Hollande had before indicated that he might keep some French troops in

5610-403: The compilers recognized the remnants of the former Jama Masjid ( Persian : جَامع مَسجد , romanized :  Jama‘ Masjid , Friday Mosque). The outer walls, mostly in utter disrepair, were estimated about 6.5–7 miles (10.5–11.3 km) in perimeter. In the south-east, they were set high on a mound or rampart, which indicated a Mongol origin to the compilers. The fort and citadel to

5712-399: The contest, Agha Jan come in third, and Tahira Mujadidi, the winning female candidate, came in fourth. As of 2021, the population of the province is around 495,028 people. It is believed that predominately of kapisa are Tajiks population followed by few Pashtuns & Pashai Agriculture is the largest portion of the economy. One particular crop, saffron , has been introduced as

5814-508: The country to help with the training mission, he later announced a full withdrawal by July. France being the fifth largest contributor to NATO's ISAF coalition, with nearly 3,300 soldiers, began its troop withdrawal from Afghanistan in July and completed it by the end of the 2012. Kapisa transitioned to Afghan government control in third of the five-phase transfers. Withdrawing French troops by the end of 2012 had been one of President Hollande's election pledges. The date meant that French forces left

5916-457: The country two years before the main scheduled NATO withdrawal. The early French withdrawal had led some to speculate that Kapisa will become a security vacuum just outside Kabul. This would be no small matter: the "ring of steel" that surrounds Afghanistan's capital has been broken so many times that few have faith in the capital's safety anymore. Several of those early attacks, before the influx of French troops, were planned and supported out of

6018-414: The envoy could have possibly visited Kashmir during the reign of Samgramapida II (797–801). Reference has been made to sages and arts. The Arabs managed to bring Balkh under their control only in 715 AD, in spite of strong resistance offered by the Balkh people during the Umayyad period. Qutayba ibn Muslim al-Bahili , an Arab General was Governor of Khurasan and the east from 705 to 715. He established

6120-423: The former madrasah ( Arabic : مَـدْرَسَـة , school). The town was garrisoned as of 1911 by a few thousand irregulars ( kasidars ), the regular troops of Afghan Turkestan being cantoned at Takhtapul , near Mazari Sharif. The gardens to the north-east contained a caravanserai that formed one side of a courtyard, which was shaded by a group of chenar trees Platanus orientalis . A project of modernization

6222-403: The fractured and elusive Afghanistan. Kapisa is allocated four seats in the Wolesi Jirga, Afghanistan's lower house of Parliament, one of which is reserved for female candidates. In the 2010 Wolesi Jirga contest 45,271 votes were cast in the province. Only one incumbent candidate, Mohammad Iqbal Safai was re-elected, coming in second place in the contest. Mirdad Khan Nijrabi came in first place in

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6324-446: The heart of the Kapisa insurrection. Mahmud-i-Raqi, capital of Kapisa Province is Tajik dominated, where there are more fighters who fought with Massoud than there are Taliban sympathizers. Their staunch anti-Taliban stance is not the norm in this province – especially in the Tagab or Alasay districts. The Province a complex political and ethnic arena, where there is a lot of ambiguity towards foreign troops. Kapisa represents an allegory of

6426-418: The insurgency. Because they are close enough to Kabul, the militants count attacks there as attacks in Kabul. Whilst the districts of Tagab, Alasay and Nijrab are Hizb-i Islami Gulbuddin supporters and are a mixture of Pashtuns, Tajiks and Pashai. The importance of Kapisa comes as it lies along the approach to the Panjshir River valley and most of the major Jamiat figures have managed to secure wealth and power in

6528-446: The interior and four passages have been pierced below from the outside, which probably lead to them. The base of the building is constructed of sun-dried bricks about 60 cm (2.0 ft) square and 100 to 130 mm (3.9 to 5.1 in) thick. The Takht-e Rustam is wedge-shaped in plan with uneven sides. It is apparently built of pisé mud (i.e. mud mixed with straw and puddled). It is possible that in these ruins we may recognize

6630-456: The king of Balkh at the time had fled to nearby Badakshan . The most remarkable Buddhist monastery was the Nava Vihara ("New Temple"), which possessed a gigantic statue of Gautama Buddha . Located near the city of Balkh, it served as a pilgrimage centre for political leaders who came from far and wide to pay homage to it. Shortly before the Arab conquest , the monastery became a Zoroastrian fire-temple . A curious reference to this building

6732-422: The kingdom of Balhika, as the name Bhalluka or Bhallika probably suggests the association of one with that country. They had gone to India for trade and had happened to be at Bodhgaya when the Buddha had just attained enlightenment. Just like the rest of Afghanistan , many historical sites in Kapisa have been looted by smugglers and then sold abroad. During 2009 and 2010 twenty-seven relics were discovered by

6834-417: The lead since autumn 2011. However the insurgency still remained active in Tagab and Alasay districts. Some clashes have been reported in the province since the 2021 Taliban takeover of Afghanistan . Kapisa province is located 80 km (50 mi) northeast of Kabul . It is bordered from the north by Panjshir Province , from the east by Laghman Province , from the south by Kabul province and from

6936-402: The looting. On March 9, 2023, the Taliban appointed Governor of Balkh Mohammad Dawood Muzammil was killed in a bomb blast. The earlier Buddhist constructions have proved more durable than the Islamic buildings. The Top-Rustam is 46 m (50 yd) in diameter at the base and 27 m (30 yd) at the top, circular and about 15 m (49 ft) high. Four circular vaults are sunk in

7038-476: The monks residing there". The Arab attacks had little effect on the normal ecclesiastical life in the monasteries or Balkh Buddhist population outside. Buddhism continued to flourish with their monasteries as the centres of Buddhist learning and training. Scholars, monks and pilgrims from China, India and Korea continued to visit this place. Several revolts were made against the Arab rule in Balkh. The Arabs' control over Balkh did not last long as it soon came under

7140-452: The most common industrial goods produced in this area. Despite the fact that the number of villages engaged in handcraft production is more than five times that of villages engaged in industries, overall production remains low. Carpets, pottery, and jewelry are three handicrafts that stand out. In the province, 96% of households have access to irrigated land, while 7% of rural households have access to rain-fed land. Wheat, maize, and barley are

7242-437: The most important field crops. Poultry, cattle, oxen, sheep, and goats are the most frequent livestock. The province is represented in Afghan domestic cricket tournaments by the Kapisa Province cricket team . Kapisa is home to Al-Beroni University , named after the Islamic scholar Al-Biruni who was from this region. The University offers programs in Agriculture, Engineering, Islamic Studies, Law, Medicine and Literature and

7344-495: The north-east were built well above the town on a barren mound and were walled and moated. There was, however, little left of them but the remains of a few pillars. The Green Mosque ( Persian : مَسجد سَبز , romanized :  Masjid Sabz ), named for its green-tiled dome (see photograph top right corner) and said to be the tomb of the Khwaja Abu Nasr Parsa , had nothing but the arched entrance remaining of

7446-538: The people of the Balkh. He was deposed and his son was placed in his position. Nazak Tarkhan is also said to have murdered not only the Chief Priest but also his sons. Only a young son was saved. He was taken by his mother to Kashmir where he was given training in medicine, astronomy and other sciences. Later they returned to Balkh. Prof. Maqbool Ahmed observes "One is tempted to think that the family originated from Kashmir, for in time of distress, they took refuge in

7548-474: The population must travel more than 10 kilometers to reach the nearest health center. [REDACTED] Media related to Kapisa Province at Wikimedia Commons Balkh Balkh is a town in the Balkh Province of Afghanistan . It is located approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) to the northwest of the provincial capital city Mazar-i-Sharif and approximately 74 kilometres (46 mi) to

7650-483: The post-2001 Afghanistan, while most of the HiG figures have not. As a result, most of the violence in the area is not actually "Taliban" as we would normally consider it, but HiG fighters (and in a lot of cases petty thugs) calling themselves Taliban. In July 2007 Abdul Sattar Murad , was removed from office by President Hamid Karzai , and his replacement was Ghulam Qawis Abubaker . The ostensible reason for Murad's removal

7752-707: The province at higher levels, which in turn would widen the corruption problem. In 2010, the governor himself would be removed and charged by ISAF with corruption, though the Karzai administration would later refuse to prosecute the case. U.S. forces, including the PRT, also believed the Governor himself was responsible for the killing of the Panjsher PRT Commander in May 2009 (believing the Kapisa PRT commander to be

7854-579: The province came under the sway of the insurgency, leading the provincial capital being more or less under curfew from the militants. By 2010, the French had stopped liaising with their Afghan Army counterparts, and the Provincial Reconstruction Team had ceased most of its operations. In late 2009, the province saw an influx of ISAF forces as the French elevated their presence from a Battalion-strength Task Force under Task Force Korrigan ( Groupement tactique interarmes de Kapisa ) to

7956-729: The province for more than six years, working with leaders of Kapisa at the provincial and district level, to bolster the capacity and credibility of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan. The PRT participated in key leader engagements, scouting areas for new projects, and performing quality checks and site visits on existing projects. The key focus was on building roads, bridges, construction of schools, and also improvements to power capabilities on existing infrastructure. Composed of U.S. Air Force , Army , State Department , and USAID subject matter experts and mentors,

8058-456: The province, the French were dragged into other tasks, like protecting the main highway that travels the province from north to south through the volatile Tagab Valley . As a result, Alasay fell back to Taliban later that year and the security situation in the province deteriorated. It was that same tug-of-war all over again, with the residents of Alasay left frustrated and less safe than ever before. As 2009 progressed, bigger and bigger chunks of

8160-478: The region in the early 5th century, and found Hinayana Buddhism prevalent in Shan Shan, Kucha , Kashgar , Osh, Udayana and Gandhara . Later, the Chinese monk Xuanzang (602–664 CE) visited Balkh in 630 CE, when it was a flourishing centre of Hinayana Buddhism. According to his memoirs, there were about a hundred Buddhist convents in the city or its vicinity at the time of his visit. There were 3,000 monks and

8262-409: The right bank of the seasonally flowing Balkh River , at an elevation of about 365 metres (1,198 ft). While it is one of Afghanistan's ethnically diverse settlements, Tajiks account for a substantial portion of Balkh's populace and have continuously inhabited the site for millennia. The main language of the town is Dari , which is spoken by a significant majority. Balkh's surrounding region

8364-475: The rule of a local prince, a zealous Buddhist called Nazak (or Nizak) Tarkhan. He expelled the Arabs from his territories in 670 or 671. He is said to have not only reprimanded the Chief Priest (Barmak) of Nava-Vihara but beheaded him for embracing Islam. As per another account, when Balkh was conquered by the Arabs, the head priest of the Nava-Vihara had gone to the capital and became a Muslim. This displeased

8466-685: The south of the Amu Darya and the Afghanistan–Uzbekistan border . In 2021–2022, the National Statistics and Information Authority reported that the town had 138,594 residents. Listed as the eighth largest settlement in the country , unofficial 2024 estimates set its population at around 114,883 people. Historically, the site of present-day Balkh was held in considerably high regard due to its religious and political significance in Ariana . A hub of Zoroastrianism and Buddhism ,

8568-534: The south west by Parwan province. The province covers an area of 1,842 km (711 sq mi); that makes it the smallest province in all of Afghanistan. Kapisa Province's terrain is a mixture of high peaks, mountainous river valleys, and shallow central plains; the highest points of the province are in the east, on the borders with Panjsher and Laghman Provinces. The districts of Kohistan, Mahmud Raqi, and Kohband districts, all of which are Jamiat-i Islami and almost all Tajik, were targeted zones of interest for

8670-536: The team sought to work closely with key leaders to facilitate development. The vision was to foster a stable and secure environment ready for transition to the Afghan government. By August 2008 the French mission was facing serious challenges. A shocking ambush in Surobi, the district of Kabul Province they were responsible for patrolling, killed 10 French troops. The Surobi massacre spurred a larger debate in France about

8772-480: The town and killed the people indiscriminately. It is said that they raided the famous Buddhist shrine of Nava-Vihara , which the Arab historians call 'Nava Bahara' and describe it as one of the magnificent places, which comprised a range of 360 cells around the high stupas'. They plundered the gems and jewels that were studded on many images and stupas and took away the wealth accumulated in the Vihara but probably did no considerable harm to other monastic buildings or to

8874-511: The true objective) and of escalating attacks in northern Kapsia in Fall 2009 aimed at both PRT and French convoys as the counterinsurgency effort during this period shifted to Tagab and Alasay. For much of the period leading up to this, the French forces, ISAF, and the U.S. PRT differed in strategies for dealing with the problem and whom to deal with among the Afghan population, eventually seeking out district-level shura approaches to fund projects at

8976-421: The war cycle and the departure of the French will weaken the Taliban stance. Over 60 French soldiers have been killed in Kapisa since 2008, with hundreds more injured severely. With the help of Afghan National Army , French forces conducted operations to repel the insurgents and Afghan forces were able to gain a foothold in Kapisa valleys. They oversaw the formation of the 3rd Brigade of the 201st Afghan corps that

9078-464: The war. After taking over from the U.S., which exercised partial control over the province for several years beforehand, the French continued to follow the U.S.-led approach of sending troops through an area to kill or chase away militants. Like the American military, the French never developed a solid plan for consolidating their victories and building on successes – which left many areas of Kapisa in

9180-403: The way Buddha instructed. Balkh is therefore named after Bahalika, who is credited with introducing Buddhism to the city. This is reflected in literature, where the town has been called Balhika , Bahlika or Valhika . The first Buddhist monastery ( vihara ) at Balkh was built for Bahalika when he returned home after becoming a Buddhist monk. The Chinese pilgrim Faxian (337-422 CE) traveled to

9282-524: Was 'ineffective governance', but it was widely believed by press sources that Murad was removed because of critical comments he made in a Newsweek interview regarding the central government's ineffectiveness in remote areas of the province. Insurgent activity in the province increased in 2006 and 2007. Southern areas of the province, in particular the Tagab district , have been the site of repeated clashes between U.S. and Afghan forces and insurgent groups. On January 19, 2009, coalition military forces led

9384-588: Was a practicing gnostic Christian . At the time of the Islamic conquest of Persia in the 7th century, however, Balkh had provided an outpost of resistance and a safe haven for the Persian emperor Yazdegerd III who fled there from the armies of Umar . Later, in the 9th century, during the reign of Ya'qub bin Laith as-Saffar , Islam became firmly rooted in the local population. Arabs occupied Persia in 642 (during

9486-544: Was again subjected in the 14th century by Timur . Notwithstanding this, however, Marco Polo (probably referring to its past) could still describe it as "a noble city and a great seat of learning." For when Ibn Battuta visited Balkh around 1333 during the rule of the Kartids , who were Tadjik vassals of the Persia-based Mongol Ilkhanate until 1335, he described it as a city still in ruins: "It

9588-714: Was captured by Karakhanids , but Ghaznavids recaptured it 1008. Finally, the Seljuks conquered Balkh in 1059. In 1115, it was occupied and looted by irregular Oghuz Turks . Between 1141 and 1142, Balkh was captured by Atsiz , Shah of Khwarezm , after the Seljuks were defeated by the Kara-Khitan Khanate at the Battle of Qatwan . Ahmad Sanjar decisively defeated a Ghurid army, commanded by Ala al-Din Husayn and he took him prisoner for two years before releasing him as

9690-635: Was captured by Khwarezmshahs in 1162, by the Kara Khitans in 1165, by the Ghurids in 1198 and again by Khwarezmshahs in 1206. Muhammad al-Idrisi , in the 12th century, speaks of its possessing a variety of educational establishments, and carrying on an active trade. There were several important commercial routes from the city, stretching as far east as India and China . The late 12th-century local chronicle The Merits of Balkh (Fada'il-i-Balkh) , by Abu Bakr Abdullah al-Wa'iz al-Balkhi , states that

9792-711: Was destroyed, but Shah Rukh , his successor, rebuilt the citadel in 1407. In 1506 Uzbeks entered Balkh under the command of Muhammad Shaybani . They were briefly expelled by the Safavids in 1510. Babur ruled Balkh between 1511 and 1512 as a vassal of the Persian Safavids . But he was defeated twice by the Khanate of Bukhara and was forced to retire to Kabul . Balkh was ruled by Bukhara except for Safavid rule between 1598 and 1601. The Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan fruitlessly fought them there for several years in

9894-432: Was from this area that different waves of Iranic tribes spread to north-east Iran and Seistan region. The changing climate has led to desertification since antiquity, when the region was very fertile. Its foundation is mythically ascribed to Keyumars , the first king of the world in Persian legend ; and it is at least certain that, at a very early date, it was the rival of Ecbatana , Nineveh and Babylon . The city

9996-411: Was going to war with the generals of Alexander, a wild elephant of great bulk presented itself before him of its own accord, and, as if tamed down to gentleness, took him on its back, and became his guide in the war, and conspicuous in fields of battle. Sandrocottus, having thus acquired a throne, was in possession of India, when Seleucus was laying the foundations of his future greatness; who, after making

10098-540: Was the son of a chief priest of a Buddhist monastery. Some of the family were killed when the Arabs captured Balkh; others including Khalid survived by converting to Islam. They would later come to be known as the Barmakids of Baghdad. Sennacherib , who reigned over the Neo-Assyrian Empire from 705 to 681 BCE, is said to have forcibly transferred some Israelites to Balkh after dispossessing them from

10200-597: Was to be found here, a temple so rich it invited plunder. Alexander the Great married Roxana of Bactria after killing the king of Balkh in the 4th century BC, and brought the Greek culture and religion to the region. The city was one of the capitals of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom and was besieged for three years by the Seleucid Empire under king Antiochus III the Great . After the demise of

10302-541: Was traditionally a center of Zoroastrianism . For a long time the city and country was the central seat of the dualistic Zoroastrian religion , the founder of which, Zoroaster, died within the walls according to the Persian poet Firdowsi . Armenian sources state that the Arsacid dynasty of the Parthian Empire established its capital in Balkh. There is a long-standing tradition that an ancient shrine of Anahita

10404-705: Was undertaken in 1934, in which eight streets were laid out, housing and bazaars built. Modern Balkh is a centre of the cotton industry, of the skins known commonly in the West as "Persian lamb" ( Karakul ), and for agricultural produce like almonds and melons. The site and the museum have suffered from looting and uncontrolled digging during the 1990s civil war . After the Taliban 's fall in 2001 some poor residents dug in an attempt to sell ancient treasures. The provisional Afghan government said in January 2002 that it had stopped

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