Bala Murghab District

Bala murghab (Pashto/Persian: Bala Murġāb) is a district situated in the northeast of Badghis Province, Afghanistan. The district capital is Bala Murghab city which is located along the Murghab River. Bala Murghab is surrounded by some other important districts such as Ab Kamari, Muqur, Jawand, and Qadis.[1]

This article is about the district in Afghanistan. For the district in Tajikistan, see murghab District. For the district in Turkmenistan, see Murgap District.
Bala Murghab
Bala Murghab
Location in Afghanistan
Coordinates: 35°34′N 63°20′E
CountryAfghanistan
ProvinceBadghis
Area
 • Land4,491 km2 (1,734 sq mi)
Population
 • Estimate 
(2003)
109,381

Demographics

The estimated population of Murghab District in 2003 was roughly 109,381.[2] Based upon the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) report, Pashtuns make up 95.0% of the total population, followed by Aimaqs, Turkmen and Uzbeks.[3]

Geography

Murghab is a hilly district located in the northeast of Badghis Province. Most of the population live in the valley of the Murghab River.

The district has 133 villages which covers an area of 4,491 km2. Murghab is surrounded by Turkmenistan, Muqur, Qadis, Jawand, Ghormach and Qaysar district of neighbouring Faryab Province.[4]

Education

There are around 2 high schools, 3 secondary schools and 24 primary schools in the district.[5]

History

During the Afghan Civil War the district was first besieged[6] and then captured by the Taliban in May 2019 after the Afghan National Security Forces retreated from most strategic sites in the district center with the exception of a military base nearby,[7] a base that they still hold today despite Taliban pressure.[8] Nonetheless Afghan Security Forces are still able to launch raids on the area via Helicopter with United States military support; in January 2020, both US and Afghan forces conducted a special operation in the district center liberating more than 60 prisoners from a Taliban prison.[9]

References
  1. "Bala Murghab District Once Again 'Falls To Taliban'". TOLOnews. Retrieved 2020-06-27.
  2. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2009-07-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  3. http://www.aims.org.af/afg/dist_profiles/unhcr_district_profiles/western/badghis/murghab/D_Murghab.pdf%5B%5D
  4. "Urgent action sought as Taliban besiege Bala Murghab district". www.pajhwok.com. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  5. "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2010-01-06. Retrieved 2009-07-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/bala-murghab-district-still-under-siege-officials
  7. https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/bala-murghab-district-once-again-‘falls-taliban’
  8. https://twitter.com/aip_news/status/1241765917689815040
  9. Hassan, Sharif; George, Susannah; Salahuddin, Sayed (January 29, 2020). "Afghan forces rescue more than 60 hostages from Taliban prison in night raid". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on January 31, 2020. Retrieved March 23, 2020. In all, 62 prisoners were freed from the compound in Bala Murghab, a district of Badghis province heavily contested by Taliban forces.
  • UNHCR District Profile, compiled 2002-08-26, accessed 2006-05-05 (PDF).
  • Dupree, Nancy Hatch (1977): An Historical Guide to Afghanistan. 1st Edition: 1970. 2nd Edition. Revised and Enlarged. Afghan Tourist Organization


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