Helmand هلمند
Capital  • Coordinates	Lashkar Gah  • 31.0° N 64.0° E
Population (?)  • Density	745,000 [1]  • /km²
Area	58,584 km²
Time zone	{{{time_zone}}}
Main language(s)	Pashto

Helmand (Pashto: هلمند) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the south-west of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water diverted for irrigation. Image File history File links Afghanistan-Helmand. ... Subnational entity is a generic term for an administrative region within a country — on an arbitrary level below that of the sovereign state — typically with a local government encompassing multiple municipalities, counties, or provinces with a certain degree of autonomy in a varying number of matters. ... Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ... , Lashkar Gah (alternative name: Bost) is a city in southern Afghanistan, the capital of Helmand province. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Pashto (‎, IPA: also known as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto ‎, Pashtoe, Pashtu, Pushtu or Pushtoo) is a language spoken by Pashtuns living in Afghanistan and western Pakistan. ... Pashto (‎, IPA: also known as Pakhto, Pushto, Pukhto ‎, Pashtoe, Pashtu, Pushtu or Pushtoo) is a language spoken by Pashtuns living in Afghanistan and western Pakistan. ... The Provinces of Afghanistan (locally recognized as wilayats) are the primary political subdivisions of Afghanistan. ... , Lashkar Gah (alternative name: Bost) is a city in southern Afghanistan, the capital of Helmand province. ... The Helmand River: Avestan: HaÄ“tumant rich in dams (also Helmend, Helmund, Hirmand or Tarnak) is the longest river in Afghanistan. ...

The population is 745,000 and the surface area is 58,584 square kilometres. The population is largely Pashtun, while Baloch make up the minority. Languages Pashto (plus second languages from countries of residence) Religions Islam (predominantly Sunni) An entry was temporarily removed here. ... The Baloch (بلوچ; alternative transliterations Baluch, Balouch, Balooch, Balush, Balosh, Baloosh, Baloush et al. ...

In various news agency stories published in June 2007 it is stated that Helmand alone is responsible for 42% of the world's opium.[2] This is more than the whole of Burma who are the second largest producing nation after Afghanistan. This article is about the drug. ...

The current governor is Asadullah Wafa (since December 2006). Assadullah Wafa is the governor of the Kunar Province of Afghanistan and a previous governor of the Paktia Province where he was succeeded by Hakim Taniwal. ...

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 programme has contributed to a counter-narcotics initiative called the Alternative Livelihoods Program(ALP) in the province. It pays communities to work to improve their environment and economic infrastructure as an alternative to Opium poppy farming. 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. The United States Agency for International Development (or USAID) is the US government organization responsible for most non-military foreign aid. ... Binomial name L. The opium poppy, Papaver somniferum, is the type of poppy from which opium and all refined opiates such as morphine, thebaine, codeine, papaverine, and noscapine are extracted. ...

Current military situation

A view of Sangin Valley in Helmand province - 2007.

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. 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. Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era in the 21st Century. ... is the 27th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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 institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... This article is about the military alliance. ... Logo of ISAF. Pashto writing: کمک و همکاری (Komak wa Hamkari) means Help and Cooperation. International Security Assistance Force (10) (ISAF) is the name of a NATO-led security and development mission in Afghanistan which was established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001[1] and consists of about 35... Operation Herrick is the codename under which all British operations in the war in Afghanistan have been conducted since 2002. ... The 16 Air Assault Brigade (16 AAB) is a unit of the British Army. ... Sangin (Population: 26,096) is a town in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ... Lashkargah the capitol of Helmand provence lacated in south western afghanistan,mostly very arid and desolate,however around the helmand river, farming does exist. ... Gereshk is a town in Gerishk District in Helmand province on the Helmand River in central Afghanistan, some 120 km (75 miles) northwest of Kandahar. ...

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. 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. Fighting has been particularly heavy in the towns of Sangin, Naway, Nawsad and Garmser. 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 ^[1]. Commanders on the ground have described the situation as the most brutal conflict the British army has been involved in since the Korean war. Combatants United States, Canada, UK,  Romania, Netherlands, Afghan National Army Taliban insurgents, al-Qaeda Commanders Brig. ... The Taliban (Pashto: , also anglicized as Taleban) are a Sunni Muslim Pashtun movement that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1995 until 2001, when their leaders were removed from power by a cooperative military effort between the United States, United Kingdom and the Northern Alliance. ... Sangin (Population: 26,096) is a town in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ... Gereshk is a town in Gerishk District in Helmand province on the Helmand River in central Afghanistan, some 120 km (75 miles) northwest of Kandahar. ... Sangin (Population: 26,096) is a town in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ... Nawzad is a popular Kurdish male name meaning new-born or new-life. Nawzad is a village in Afghanistan at the center of Nawzad District. ... The village of Garmsir is the center of Garmsir District in Helmand Province,Afghanistan. ... Afghan National Army (ANA) is the army of Afghanistan that is being trained by the coalition forces to ultimately take the lead in land-based military operations. ... Combatants United Nations:  Republic of Korea,  Australia,  Belgium,  Luxembourg,  Canada,  Colombia,  Ethiopia,  France,  Greece,  Luxembourg,  Netherlands,  New Zealand,  Philippines,  South Africa,  Thailand,  Turkey,  United Kingdom,  United States Medical staff:  Denmark,  Australia,  Italy,  Norway,  Sweden Communist states:  Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,  Peoples Republic of China,  Soviet Union Commanders...

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 ^[2]. 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. 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. Hamid Karzai (Pashto: حامد کرزي) (b. ... The Taliban (Pashto: , also anglicized as Taleban) are a Sunni Muslim Pashtun movement that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1995 until 2001, when their leaders were removed from power by a cooperative military effort between the United States, United Kingdom and the Northern Alliance. ...

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 ^[3]. The Taliban (Pashto: , also anglicized as Taleban) are a Sunni Muslim Pashtun movement that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1995 until 2001, when their leaders were removed from power by a cooperative military effort between the United States, United Kingdom and the Northern Alliance. ... The Ishakzai are a Afghani subtribe of the Durrani tribe who, in turn, are a subtribe of the Pashtun tribe. ... The Alikozai are a 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 (1966? – ) is a Pashtun military leader. ...

In May 2007, between 21 and 40 civilians were killed by a U.S. air strike in Heratyan village, Sangin District.^{[citation needed]} Sangin (Population: 26,096) is a town in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ...

Border with Pakistan

Helmand has a southern border with the Balochistan province of Pakistan. 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.^{[citation needed]} 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.^{[citation needed]} Balochistan, or Ballsforchinstan, Balochi, Pashto, Urdu: بلوچستان) is a province in Pakistan, the largest in the country by geographical area. ... The Taliban (Pashto: , also anglicized as Taleban) are a Sunni Muslim Pashtun movement that ruled most of Afghanistan from 1995 until 2001, when their leaders were removed from power by a cooperative military effort between the United States, United Kingdom and the Northern Alliance. ...

Cities

• Lashkar Gah
• Sangin

, Lashkar Gah (alternative name: Bost) is a city in southern Afghanistan, the capital of Helmand province. ... Sangin (Population: 26,096) is a town in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ...

Districts

Districts of Helmand.

• Baghran
• Dishu
• Gerishk
• Nawzad
• Musa Qala
• Lashkargah (district)
• Nawa-I-Barakzayi
• Kajaki
• Nad Ali
• Garmsir
• Khanashin
• Washir
• Sangin

Image File history File links Size of this preview: 776 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1056 × 816 pixel, file size: 32 KB, MIME type: image/png) Map of the districts of Helmand province of Afghanistan. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 776 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (1056 × 816 pixel, file size: 32 KB, MIME type: image/png) Map of the districts of Helmand province of Afghanistan. ... Baghran is a district in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ... Dishu is a district in the south of Helmand Province, Afghanistan, bordering on Pakistan. ... Gereshk District takes the name of its principal municipality, Gereshk town (pop 110,000) in Helmand Province, Southern Afghanistan. ... Nawzad is a district in the north of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ... Musa Qala is a district in the north of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ... Lashkargah is a district in the east of Helmand Province, Afghanistan, surrounding the provincial capital of Lashkargah. ... The Nawa-I-Barakzayi District is located south to the Lashkargah District in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ... Kajaki is a district in the east of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ... Nad Ali is a district in the west of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ... The Gamsir District is located in the southern part of Helmand Province,Afghanistan. ... The Reg(Khanashin) District is situated in the Southeastern part of Helmand Province,Afghanistan along the Helmand River on its western bank. ... Washir (also spelt Washer or Washar) is a district in the west of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ... Sangin is a district in the east of Helmand Province, Afghanistan. ...

Politicians

• Asadullah Wafa
• Dad Mohammad Khan
• Sher Mohammed Akhundzada
• Engineer Mohammad Daoud

Assadullah Wafa is the governor of the Kunar Province of Afghanistan and a previous governor of the Paktia Province where he was succeeded by Hakim Taniwal. ... Dad Mohammad Khan is a MP in the Afghan National Assembley representing the Helmand district. ... Sher Mohammed Akhundzada was the governer of Helmand province in Afghanistan from the fall of the Taliban in 2001 until December 2005 when he was appointed as a MP in the Afghan National Assembley by President Hamid Karzai. ... Engineer Mohammad Daoud is the current governor of Helmand province in Afghanistan. ...

See also

• 2007 Helmand province incident

The airstrikes in Helmand province resulted in the highest civilian deaths since 2001. ...

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

v • d • e Provinces of Afghanistan

Badakhshan • Badghis • Baghlan • Balkh • Bamiyan • Daykundi • Farah • Faryab • Ghazni • Ghor • Helmand • Herat • Jowzjan • Kabul • Kandahar • Kapisa • Khost • Kunar • Kunduz • Laghman • Lowgar • Nangarhar • Nimruz • Nuristan • Oruzgan • Paktia • Paktika • Panjshir • Parwan • Samangan • Sar-e Pol • Takhar • Wardak • Zabul The Provinces of Afghanistan (locally recognized as wilayats) are the primary political subdivisions of Afghanistan. ... Badakhshan (Persian: بدخشان Badakhshān) is one of the provinces of Afghanistan, consisting of 29 districts. ... Badghis province is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Categories: Afghanistan geography stubs | Provinces of Afghanistan ... Balkh is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Bamiyan is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Daykundi (Persian: دایکندی, also spelt Daikondi, DāykondÄ« or Daikundi) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Farah is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Categories: Stub | Provinces of Afghanistan ... Ghazni is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Ghowr (sometimes spelled Ghor) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Herat is a province of Afghanistan; together with Badghis, Farah, and Ghor provinces it makes up the western region of the country. ... Jowzjan province is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Kabul is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Kandahar or Qandahar (Pashto: قندھار) is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... KapiÅ›a (=Kapisha) (Persian: کاپيسا) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. ... Khost (Pashto: خوست) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Kunar (also spelled Konar) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, located in the northeastern part of the country and on the border with Pakistan. ... Kunduz is one of the provinces of Afghanistan, centered on the city of Kunduz in Afghanistan, with an area of 7,827 km square, and a population of about 583,000. ... This article is about the province in Afghanistan. ... Lowgar (Pashto: ; frequently Logar) is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. ... Nangarhar province is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Nimruz (Persian: نیمروز) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Nurestan (also spelled Nuristan or Nooristan) (Persian: نورستان) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Oruzgan is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Paktia (Pashto: پکتيا) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the east of the country. ... Paktika (Persian: پکتیکا) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Panjshir (literally Five Lions in Persian) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Parwān (Persian: پروان, also spelt Parvān) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Samangan (Persian: سمنگان) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Sar-e Pol (Persian: سر پل) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... “Takhar” redirects here. ... Wardak (Persian: وردک, also spelt Vardak) is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. ... Zabul, Afghanistan is the only Afghan province in which the Taliban have named (in the post-U.S. invasion of Afghanistan era) their own governor and officials to rival those appointed by the government in Kabul. ...