📖 About Kandahar

Kandahar is Afghanistan's second-largest city and the spiritual heartland of Pashtun culture, located in the south near the Pakistani border. With approximately 600,000 residents, this ancient city holds enormous historical and symbolic significance—it was here that Ahmad Shah Durrani founded modern Afghanistan in 1747. The city's role as Taliban birthplace and stronghold has shaped recent decades of conflict.

The region has been inhabited for millennia, serving as a crucial point on trade routes between Central Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and the Middle East. Alexander the Great founded a city here (Alexandria Arachosia). The famous Shrine of the Cloak, believed to hold the Prophet Muhammad's garment, gives Kandahar religious importance for Muslims.

Modern Kandahar experienced devastating conflict—Soviet war, Taliban emergence, and American intervention created decades of violence. The city remains under Taliban control following the 2021 takeover. Understanding Afghanistan's complex dynamics requires engaging with Kandahar's history, culture, and current reality.

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💼 Economy & Culture

Kandahar's economy relies on agriculture, trade, and increasingly, the opium economy. Pomegranates, grapes, and other fruits are legal exports. Cross-border trade with Pakistan—both formal and informal—supports commerce. The construction and service sectors serve urban needs. The illegal opium trade, while not openly discussed, significantly impacts the regional economy. Current conditions under Taliban governance shape economic activity.

Kandahari culture represents traditional Pashtun society at its most conservative. Pashto language and Pashtunwali code of honor govern social interaction. Sunni Islam is universal; the Taliban emerged from Kandahari religious schools (madrasas). Women face severe restrictions under Taliban rule. Traditional music, poetry, and crafts preserve cultural heritage despite conflict disruption. Kandahar's identity as the Pashtun heartland and Afghanistan's birthplace shapes proud local consciousness.

📜 History

Kandahar's history spans over 3,000 years. Alexander the Great established Alexandria Arachosia here around 330 BCE. The city passed through various empires—Mauryan, Kushan, Arab, Ghaznavid, and Timurid. Ahmad Shah Durrani unified Pashtun tribes and founded the Durrani Empire (modern Afghanistan) in 1747, making Kandahar his capital before moving to Kabul.

British-Afghan Wars of the 19th century contested the region. Soviet invasion (1979) and mujahideen resistance devastated the area. The Taliban movement emerged from Kandahari madrasas in 1994, capturing Kabul in 1996. American intervention after 2001 brought prolonged conflict to Taliban strongholds. The 2021 Taliban victory returned them to power. Kandahar today represents both Afghanistan's cultural heritage and its ongoing struggles for peace and governance.