Khost District (), historically known as Matun, is a municipality situated in the central and southeastern part of Khost Province in Afghanistan. It has an estimated population of 170,615 people. The cit of Khost is within the district. Shaikh Zayed University is located to the northwest of the city, and Khost International Airport is situated about to the southwest in the neighboring Mandozayi District. The main road in the district is the Khost-Gardez Highway.
History
On 2 January 1879, General Roberts entered Matun from Hazir Pir in the Kurram valley, with a small armed contingent.David Gillard, Great Britain. Foreign Office. British documents on foreign affairs--reports and papers from the Foreign Office confidential print: From the mid-nineteenth century to the First World War. The Near and Middle East, 1856-1914, Volume 12. University Publications of America, 1984 The intent was to pacify the district, which was described as "an unsophisticated country where the revenue had hitherto been collected in copper."Eliakim Littell. Living age ..., Volume 208. The Living Age Co. Inc., 1896
During the Soviet–Afghan War, the Afghan mujahideen 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 Highway and bring relief to the District.Lester W Grau. The Bear Went Over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics in Afghanistan. DIANE Publishing. , Khost District was the scene of intense fighting in 1987, with over 1,500 mujahideen and one American adviser killed by DRA troops, according to Tass, the official Soviet news agency.The Soviets Report American Killed in Afghanistan. The Dispatch, Lexington NC. 28 Dec 1987.
See also Districts of Afghanistan
References
External links
AIMS District Map