Tarinkot
Tarinkot
ترينکوټ | |
|---|---|
  Tarinkot Location in Afghanistan | |
| Coordinates: 32°37′36″N 65°52′24″E / 32.62667°N 65.87333°E | |
| Country |  Afghanistan |
| Province | Uruzgan |
| District | Tarinkot |
| Elevation | 4,321 ft (1,317 m) |
| Population (2015) | |
• City | 71,604 |
| • Urban | 71,604[1] |
| Time zone | UTC+4:30 (AFT) |
Tarinkot (Template:Lang-prs; Template:Lang-ps), also spelled as Tarin Kowt,[2] is a city in south-central Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Uruzgan Province. It is connected by a road network with Kandahar to the south and Nili in Daykundi Province to the north.[3][4]
Located within the Tarinkot District, the city had a population of approximately 71,604 people in 2015.[1] In the district, two major Pashtun tribal confederations are represented, Tareen tribes: Popolzai, Barakzai, Nurzai, Achakzai; and the Ghilzai tribes: Tokhi, Hotak. There are no medium or large-scale economic enterprises in the city.
The majority of land in the district is classified as non built-up (69%) of which agriculture is 67%. Residential land accounts for 47% of built-up land.[1] The Tarinkot Airport is located within the municipal boundaries, accounting the second largest built-up land use (24%).[1]
On 13 August 2021, Tarinkot was captured by Taliban forces as part of the wider 2021 Taliban offensive.[5]
History
Historically, this locale remained a seat of some of the Tarin (or Tareen) Pashtun tribal sardars, as early as the 12th-13th centuries AD[6] and some of them later migrated to the Indian subcontinent during or after the Mughal-Safavid War (1622-23).[7]
Recent war
Tarinkot was of significant strategic value to the Taliban in 2001. On November 16, the citizens here rose up against their Taliban governor, which marked the first organized Pashtun resistance against the Taliban. Hamid Karzai, then an obscure statesman, was in the region at the time trying to build an insurgency/army while accompanied by an 11-man U.S. Special Forces team, known as Operational Detachment Alpha 574.[8] The Taliban launched a counterattack, confronting Karzai and his militia who dug in to defend the town. With the help of U.S. air power, the U.S. and militia force drove the Taliban back from Tarinkot.[9]
An American base called FOB Ripley, named after U.S. Marine John Ripley was built in Tarinkot in 2004.[10] It was established by a Joint Task Force made up mainly of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) (22ndMEU SOC), 2-5 Infantry (bobcats)/3rd BDE/ 25th Infantry Division, US Army Civil Affairs, and the Florida and Iowa National Guard Task Force 168 in May 2004. Subsequently, other foreign military forces have operated at the base outside Tarinkot.
After the 22nd MEU SOC led Operation Mountain Storm, most of the Taliban forces moved to the mountainous region between Afghanistan and Pakistan. As NATO's ISAF mission assumed responsibility for security in Afghanistan's south, Dutch NATO troops built Kamp Holland (now Multi National Base Tarin Kot) in August 2006.
Beginning in March 2007, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE)[11] began construction of a road from Tarinkot westward to Deh Rahwod and then to Shahidi Hassas District, in the western areas of Oruzgan province. At the same time, the USACE also started paving and bridge construction to improve the road to Kandahar.
_with_the_56th_Infantry_Brigade_Combat_Team,_Texas_Army_National_Guard,_watches_Afghans_pass_during_a_logistics_130604-A-FS372-018.jpg)
On 4 July 2010, U.S. soldiers from 1st Squadron, 2nd Stryker Cavalry Regiment assumed responsibility over operations in Tarinkot and Deh Rahwod in the wake of the Dutch withdrawal from Uruzgan.
On 27 July 2011, a Pakistani suicide terrorist from the Waziristan region of Pakistan was captured by the Afghan National Army (ANA) and ISAF forces during a raid on the house of Mullah Qasim in the Sur Marghab area near Tirinkot. The would-be bomber named Saifullah was interviewed by Pajhwok Afghan News reporter Ahmad Omaid Khpalwak. In the interview Saifullah said he and 14 other Pakistanis spent at least two months wandering around the city to select a proper time and place for an attack. "Many times we encountered foreigners, but Mullah Qasim would escape after seeing foreigners and finally we were arrested without carrying out any attack," he said.[12]
The next day, at around 12 pm, 28 July, three suicide attackers blew up vehicles packed with explosives at the gates of government compounds while other suicide bombers equipped with heavy weapons entered the buildings and began killing everyone inside. After the shooting ended at least 19 people were killed and 37 others wounded. The dead included Pajhwok reporter Khpalwak, 10 children, 2 women and 1 member of the Afghan National Police.[13] Khpalwak was shot 20 times in different parts of his body.[14] By 29 July the number of dead were raised to 21. Major General Angus Campbell, commander of Australian troops deployed to the region, said "Hard-line elements of the insurgency continue to pursue their campaign through violence and attempted targeted killings. Yesterday they paid a heavy price for their ambitions with all insurgents killed while failing to achieve their mission."[15] ANA spokesman Hekmatullah Kuchi said "There were two blasts at the deputy governor's office. One was detonated by a suicide bomber and the other was caused by an [Afghan] army soldier shooting another suicide attacker."[16]
On March 1, 2011, U.S. soldiers from 4th Battalion, 70th Armor Regiment assumed responsibility of Tarinkot and Deh Rawod. On November 23, 2011, U.S. soldiers from the 1st Reconnaissance, Surveillance and Target Acquisition Squadron, 14th Cavalry Regiment[17] assumed responsibility over operations in Tarinkot.
In September 2016, Tarinkot was under threat by Taliban militants, who had occupied the highway linking it to Kandahar, whilst also launching an attack on Tarinkot itself.[18] It was fully captured by the Taliban on 13 August, 2021, following the withdrawal of international forces from the area.[5]
Geography
Tarinkot is somewhat isolated.
Climate
Tarinkot has a cold semi-arid climate (Köppen climate classification BSk) with hot summers and cool to cold winters. Precipitation is low, and mostly falls from December to March.
| Climate data for Tarinkot | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 18.3 (64.9) |
21.7 (71.1) |
29.5 (85.1) |
39.3 (102.7) |
38.5 (101.3) |
44.5 (112.1) |
43.0 (109.4) |
42.8 (109.0) |
37.9 (100.2) |
36.6 (97.9) |
28.4 (83.1) |
21.6 (70.9) |
44.5 (112.1) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 9.3 (48.7) |
11.1 (52.0) |
17.4 (63.3) |
26.0 (78.8) |
31.3 (88.3) |
36.8 (98.2) |
38.4 (101.1) |
37.4 (99.3) |
32.9 (91.2) |
26.5 (79.7) |
18.4 (65.1) |
12.8 (55.0) |
24.9 (76.7) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 3.3 (37.9) |
4.9 (40.8) |
10.8 (51.4) |
17.4 (63.3) |
22.4 (72.3) |
28.0 (82.4) |
29.7 (85.5) |
27.7 (81.9) |
22.8 (73.0) |
16.1 (61.0) |
9.0 (48.2) |
5.2 (41.4) |
16.4 (61.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | −2.4 (27.7) |
−1.0 (30.2) |
3.8 (38.8) |
9.0 (48.2) |
12.7 (54.9) |
16.8 (62.2) |
18.6 (65.5) |
17.0 (62.6) |
10.9 (51.6) |
5.6 (42.1) |
0.7 (33.3) |
−1.6 (29.1) |
7.5 (45.5) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −20 (−4) |
−11.9 (10.6) |
−7.9 (17.8) |
0.9 (33.6) |
4.0 (39.2) |
7.0 (44.6) |
9.0 (48.2) |
5.6 (42.1) |
0.5 (32.9) |
−3.8 (25.2) |
−11.1 (12.0) |
−15.8 (3.6) |
−20 (−4) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 48.9 (1.93) |
61.7 (2.43) |
62.2 (2.45) |
18.3 (0.72) |
8.0 (0.31) |
0.0 (0.0) |
1.4 (0.06) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
4.8 (0.19) |
12.6 (0.50) |
30.3 (1.19) |
248.2 (9.78) |
| Average rainy days | 7 | 7 | 9 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 38 |
| Average snowy days | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 60 | 58 | 53 | 44 | 35 | 25 | 26 | 29 | 28 | 33 | 40 | 56 | 41 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 194.4 | 167.2 | 219.1 | 260.8 | 341.1 | 378.3 | 359.5 | 349.3 | 327.2 | 288.1 | 260.9 | 200.4 | 3,346.3 |
| Source: NOAA (1972-1982) [19] | |||||||||||||
Economy
The main source of income of Tarinkot residents has always been agriculture and transport.[20] The city is connected by a road network with Kandahar to the south and Nili in Daykundi Province to the north.[3][4] Tarinkot Airport serves the population of both Uruzgan and Daykundi provinces.
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "The State of Afghan Cities Report 2015". UN-Habitat. Retrieved 2015-10-31.
- ^ Brown, James (July 29, 2011). "Tarin Kowt and the battle for minds". Australia: ABC News.
- ^ a b "Call to speed up Kandahar-Uruzgan highway repair work". Pajhwok Afghan News. 9 December 2023. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
- ^ a b "Calls Mount to Speed Up Work on Uruzgan-Kandahar Highway". TOLOnews. 28 November 2023. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
- ^ a b "Taliban sweep across Afghanistan's south, take 3 more cities". AP NEWS. 2021-08-13. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 2021-08-13.
- ^ Dr SB Panni, Tareekh i Hazara Peshawar, 1969 ed, p. 301
- ^ Including some settled near Pishin Baluchistan and some in the Hazara area of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, see Panni
- ^ "Afghanistan: Home Free". Archived from the original on April 8, 2011.
- ^ "The United States Army in Afghanistan - Operation ENDURING FREEDOM - October 2001-March 2003". Archived from the original on February 1, 2010.
- ^
Keith A. Milks (2004-05-10). "22d MEU (SOC)'s FOB in Afghanistan pays homage to Marine hero". Marine Corps News. Archived from the original on 2004-05-24.
'He's a hero to the Marine Corps,' said Colonel Kenneth F. McKenzie, Jr., commanding officer of the Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), referring to Col. John W. Ripley, the new FOB's namesake. 'He's a true warrior and an honorable man.' McKenzie puts Col. Ripley with the small group of Marine leaders mentioned prominently in the Corps' proud history.
- ^ Afghanistan Engineer District Archived 2007-03-15 at the Wayback Machine, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
- ^ "Bombing suspect says Pakistani mullahs brainwashed him". 28 July 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
- ^ "Suicide Attacks Target Afghan Government Compound".
- ^ "Khpalwak's last contact with Pajhwok". 28 July 2011. Retrieved 20 June 2016.
- ^ "18 civilians killed in Helmand bomb: Afghan police".
- ^ "Today's Stock Market News and Analysis from Nasdaq.com". Retrieved 20 June 2016.
- ^ 14th Cavalry Regiment (United States), 14th Cavalry Regiment
- ^ Snow, Shawn (September 24, 2016). "Afghanistan: Taliban Threaten Tarin Kot Again". thediplomat.com. Retrieved 2023-05-10.
- ^ "Trinkot Climate Normals 1972-1982". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
- ^ "In Rural Afghan War, Irrigation Water Is Tool". TOLOnews. April 4, 2018. Retrieved 2024-04-08.
External links
- Tarinkot center of Urozgan Province, Afghanistan on YouTube (Dec. 7, 2022)
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