| Helmand (هلمند) | |
| Province | |
| Country |  Afghanistan |
|---|---|
| Capital | Lashkar Gah |
| - coordinates | |
| Area | 58,584 km² (22,619 sq mi) |
| Population | 745,000 [2] |
| Timezone | UTC+4:30 |
| Main language | Pashto |
 Map of Afghanistan with Helmand highlighted
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 Districts of Helmand
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Helmand (Pashto: هلمند) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Lashkar Gah (alternative name Bost) is a city in southern Afghanistan, the Capital of Helmand province. Square Kilometre ( US spelling square kilometer) symbol km2, is a decimal multiple of the SI unit of The square mile is an imperial and US unit of Area equal the area of a square of one statute mile. UTC+430 is used in Afghanistan and in the summer as Time in Iran. There are two official languages of Afghanistan, in addition to other languages that are spoken Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as Pashto ( Naskh: پښتو pəʂ'to also rendered as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto, Pashtu, Pushtu, also known as The Provinces of Afghanistan (locally recognized as wilayats - ولايت are the primary Administrative divisions of Afghanistan. It is in the south-west of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. Lashkar Gah (alternative name Bost) is a city in southern Afghanistan, the Capital of Helmand province. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation. The Helmand River (also spelled Helmend Helmund Hirmand; Pashto: fa هیرمند هلمند fa-Latn Hīrmand Helmand, Latin:
The population is 745,000 and the surface area is 58,584 square kilometres. The population is largely Pashtun, with Baloch Brahui and Tajik[1] minorities who are primarily resident in laskargah . Pashtuns ( Pashto: پښتون Paṣtūn, Paxtūn, also rendered as Pushtuns, Pakhtuns, Pukhtuns) also called The Baloch ( بلوچ; alternative transliterations Baluch Balouch Bloach Balooch Balush Balosh Baloosh Baloush) are an Iranian people inhabiting
Helmand is the world's largest opium-producing region, responsible for 42% of the world's supply. Opium is a Narcotic formed from the Latex (ie sap released by lacerating (or "scoring" the immature seed pods of opium poppies ( [3] This is more than the whole of Myanmar, which is the second largest producing nation after Afghanistan. Burma, officially the Union of Myanmar ( pjìdàunzṵ mjàmmà nàinŋàndɔ̀ is the largest country by geographical area in mainland Southeast Asia.
The current governor is Gulab Mangal (since March 2008). Gulab Mangal is currently the Governor of Helmand Province in Afghanistan.
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USAID programmes
Helmand was the center of a U. S. development program in the 1960s - it was even nicknamed "little America". The program laid out tree-lined streets in Lashkar Gah, built a network of irrigation canals and constructed a large hydroelectric dam. The program was abandoned when the communists seized power in 1978.
More recently the American USAID program has contributed to a counter-narcotics initiative called the Alternative Livelihoods Program (ALP) in the province. The United States Agency for International Development (or USAID) is the United States federal government organization responsible for most non- military It pays communities to work to improve their environment and economic infrastructure as an alternative to Opium poppy farming. The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is the type of Poppy from which Opium and many refined opiates such as Morphine, Thebaine The project undertakes drainage and canal rehabilitation projects. In 2005 and 2006 there have been problems in getting promised finance to communities and this is a source of considerable tension between the farmers and the Coalition forces.
Current military situation
It was announced on January 27, 2006 in the British Parliament that a NATO International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) would be replacing the US troops in the province as part of Operation Herrick. Events 98 - Trajan becomes Roman Emperor after the death of Nerva. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories The North Atlantic Treaty International Security Assistance Force (10 ( ISAF) is a NATO -led security and development mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Operation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted The British 16th Air Assault Brigade would be the core of the force in Helmand Province. British bases are located in the towns of Sangin, Lashkar Gah and Gerishk. Sangin is a town in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, with population of approximately 14000 people Lashkar Gah (alternative name Bost) is a city in southern Afghanistan, the Capital of Helmand province. Gereshk is a town in Gerishk District in Helmand province on the Helmand River in central Afghanistan, some 120 km (75
As of Summer 2006, Helmand was one of the districts involved in Operation Mountain Thrust, a combined NATO-Afghan mission targeted at Taliban fighters in the south of the country. Operation Mountain Thrust was a US commanded Canadian and US -led operation in the Afghanistan campaign, with more than 2300 U The Taliban ( طالبان, also anglicised as Taleban; translation "students" is a Sunni Islamist, predominately In July 2006, this offensive mission essentially stalled in Helmand as NATO, primarily British, and Afghan troops were forced to take increasingly defensive positions under heavy insurgent pressure. In response, British troop levels in the province were increased, and new encampments were established in Sangin and Gerishk. Sangin is a town in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, with population of approximately 14000 people Gereshk is a town in Gerishk District in Helmand province on the Helmand River in central Afghanistan, some 120 km (75 Fighting has been particularly heavy in the towns of Sangin, Naway, Nawsad and Garmser. Sangin is a town in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, with population of approximately 14000 people The village of Garmsir is the center of Garmsir District in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. There are reports that the Taliban see Helmand province as a key testing area for their ability to take and hold Afghan territory from NATO and Afghan National Army troops [2]. The Afghan National Army (ANA is a service branch of the Military of Afghanistan currently being trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the lead in Commanders on the ground have described the situation as the most brutal conflict the British army has been involved in since the Korean war. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the
In Autumn 2006, British troops started to reach "cessation of hostilities" agreements with local Taliban forces around the district centres where they had been stationed earlier in the summer [3]. Under the terms of the agreement, both sets of forces will withdraw from the conflict zone. This agreement from the British forces implies that the strategy of holding key bases in the district, as requested by Hamid Karzai, is essentially untenable with the current levels of British troop deployment. Hamid Karzai ( حامد کرزي, حامد کرزي) (born 24 December 1957) is the current President of Afghanistan, since December The agreement is also a setback for Taliban fighters, who were desperate to consolidate their gains in the province, but are under heavy pressure from various NATO offensives. The Taliban ( طالبان, also anglicised as Taleban; translation "students" is a Sunni Islamist, predominately
News reports identified the insurgents involved in the fighting as a mix of Taliban fighters and warring tribal groups, primarily the Ishakzai and Alikozai, who are heavily involved in the province's lucrative opium trade [4]. The Taliban ( طالبان, also anglicised as Taleban; translation "students" is a Sunni Islamist, predominately The Ishakzai are an Afghani subtribe of the Durrani tribe who in turn are a subtribe of the Pashtun tribe
Fighting continued throughout the winter, with British and allied troops taking a more pro-active stance against the Taliban. Several operations were launched including the more recent Operation Silicone at the start of spring. On May 12, 2007, Mullah Dadullah, one of the Taliban's top commanders, along with 11 of his men were killed by NATO and Afghan forces in Helmand. Mullah Dadullah or Dadullah Akhund ( ملا دادالله آخوند) (c
On May 8, 2007, between 21 and 40 civilians were killed by U. S. air strikes in Heratyan village, Sangin District. Sangin is a town in the Helmand province of Afghanistan, with population of approximately 14000 people [5]
Border with Pakistan
Helmand has a southern border with the Balochistan province of Pakistan. Balochistan, or Baluchistan, Pashto, ( Balochi, Hazara, Brahui, Sindhi, Urdu: بلوچستان Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Many domestic and international observers have criticized Pakistan's efforts towards securing the border against Taliban insurgents, who are reported to use Balochistan as a training and staging area. The Taliban ( طالبان, also anglicised as Taleban; translation "students" is a Sunni Islamist, predominately Some reports cite the political alliance of Pakistan's military government with Balochistan's pro-Taliban Jamiat-e-Ulema-e-Islam party as the reason for Pakistan's reluctance to commit to greater security measures.
Cities
Districts
- Baghran
- Dishu
- Garmsir
- Gerishk
- Kajaki
- Khanashin
- Lashkargah (district)
- Musa Qala
- Nad Ali
- Nawa-I-Barakzayi
- Nawzad
- Sangin
- Washir
Politicians
See also
References
External links
- USAID information
- Provincial Government site
- Op/Ed by Holly Barnes Higgins who spent a year in Helmand with USAID
- Wafa Replaces Daud as Helmand Governor
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