Khost (Matun) District

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Khost District
District
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Khost districts.png
Country  Afghanistan
Province Khost Province
District center Khost
Population (2006.[1])
 • Total 160,214
Time zone D† (Afghanistan Standard Time) (UTC+4:30)

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.

Water

Khost District is traversed by the Kurram River, which rises from the Rokian Defile, passes through the district, and then enters the "country of the Turis or the Kurram Valley".[2]

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.[3]

British era

On 2 January 1879, General Roberts entered Matun from Hazir Pir in the Kurram valley, with a small armed contingent.[4] The intent was to pacify the district, which was described as "an unsophisticated country where the revenue had hitherto been collected in copper."[5]

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.[6] 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.[7]

References

External links