Haibak
Encyclopedia
Haibak is a town of Afghanistan
in the Samangan Province
and is a former khanate
of Afghan Turkestan
. The valley of Haibak, which is 3,100 feet above sea level, is fertile and richly cultivated. The town, which is famed in Persian legend, is now very small and does not appear on most maps.
Due to its location, Haibak has been influenced by Buddhist, Islamic and Turkic
and Persian
peoples. In the past, it was significant because of its position on the main line of communication between Kabul
and Afghan Turkestan
.
On October 23, 2003, during the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan
, rebels fired rockets at a pickup truck ferrying passengers to Haibak, which killed ten people, including two children.
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
in the Samangan Province
Samangan Province
Samangan is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. The province covers and has a population of approximately 313,211, as of 2006.Its capital, Samangan, is known for its ancient ruins including, notably, the Takht e Rostam...
and is a former khanate
Khanate
Khanate, or Chanat, is a Turco-Mongol-originated word used to describe a political entity ruled by a Khan. In modern Turkish, the word used is kağanlık, and in modern Azeri of the republic of Azerbaijan, xanlıq. In Mongolian the word khanlig is used, as in "Khereidiin Khanlig" meaning the Khanate...
of Afghan Turkestan
Afghan Turkestan
Afghan Turkestan is a region in northern Afghanistan, on the border with the former Soviet republics of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It was the name of a former province in this area until its division by Abdur Rahman, and was centred on Mazari Sharif and included territory in the...
. The valley of Haibak, which is 3,100 feet above sea level, is fertile and richly cultivated. The town, which is famed in Persian legend, is now very small and does not appear on most maps.
Due to its location, Haibak has been influenced by Buddhist, Islamic and Turkic
Turkic peoples
The Turkic peoples are peoples residing in northern, central and western Asia, southern Siberia and northwestern China and parts of eastern Europe. They speak languages belonging to the Turkic language family. They share, to varying degrees, certain cultural traits and historical backgrounds...
and Persian
Persian people
The Persian people are part of the Iranian peoples who speak the modern Persian language and closely akin Iranian dialects and languages. The origin of the ethnic Iranian/Persian peoples are traced to the Ancient Iranian peoples, who were part of the ancient Indo-Iranians and themselves part of...
peoples. In the past, it was significant because of its position on the main line of communication between Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
and Afghan Turkestan
Afghan Turkestan
Afghan Turkestan is a region in northern Afghanistan, on the border with the former Soviet republics of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan. It was the name of a former province in this area until its division by Abdur Rahman, and was centred on Mazari Sharif and included territory in the...
.
On October 23, 2003, during the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan
War in Afghanistan (2001–present)
The War in Afghanistan began on October 7, 2001, as the armed forces of the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the Afghan United Front launched Operation Enduring Freedom...
, rebels fired rockets at a pickup truck ferrying passengers to Haibak, which killed ten people, including two children.