Panjwai is a district

Districts of Afghanistan

The provinces of Afghanistan are divided into Wolaswalei or districts. The number of districts in Afghanistan has fluctuated over the years, with new districts created by splitting or merging parts of others. Prior to 1979, there were 325 districts. This was increased to 329 and, in 2004, a major...

 in Kandahar Province

Kandahar Province

Kandahar or Qandahar is one of the largest of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is located in southern Afghanistan, between Helmand, Oruzgan and Zabul provinces. Its capital is the city of Kandahar, which is located on the Arghandab River. The province has a population of nearly...

, Afghanistan

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...

. It is known as the birthplace of the Taliban. It is located about 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) west of Kandahar city

Kandahar

Kandahar is the second largest city in Afghanistan, with a population of about 512,200 as of 2011. It is the capital of Kandahar Province, located in the south of the country at about 1,005 m above sea level...

. The district borders Helmand Province

Helmand Province

Helmand is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the southwest of the country. Its capital is Lashkar Gah. The Helmand River flows through the mainly desert region, providing water for irrigation....

 to the southwest, Maywand District

Maywand District

Maiwand District is situated in the western part of the Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Helmand Province to the west, Ghorak District to the north, Khakrez District to the northeast, Zhari District to the east, and Panjwai District to the south. The population is 51,900 . The district...

 to the west, Zharay District to the north, Arghandab

Arghandab District

Arghandab is a district in the central part of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Panjwai and Khakrez districts to the west, Shah Wali Kot District to the north and east and Kandahar District to the east and south....

, Kandahar

Kandahar District

Kandahar District is situated in the central part of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan, surrounding the city of Kandahar. It borders with Panjwai District to the west, Arghandab District to the north, Shah Wali Kot District to the northeast and Daman District to the east and south. The population is...

 and Daman

Daman District, Afghanistan

Daman district is situated in the central part of the Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Panjwai and Kandahar districts to the west, Shah Wali Kot District to the north, Zabul Province to the northeast, Arghistan and Spin Boldak districts to the east and Reg District to the south. The...

 districts to the east and Reg District

Reg District (Kandahar)

Reg District is situated in the southern part of Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It borders Helmand Province to the west, Panjwai and Daman districts to the north, Shorabak District to the east and Pakistan to the south. The population is 7,900...

 to the south. The population is 77,200 (2006). The district center is Bazar-e Panjwai

Bazar-e Panjwai

Bazar-e Panjwai is a village and the center of Panjwai District in Kandahar Province, Afghanistan. It is located on at 950 m altitude. The population is about 5000. It is situated just south of the Arghandab River....

, located in the northern part of the district.

Panjwayi district is a contested district by both the forces of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) on one side, and the forces of the insurgency on the other. As Panjwayi is the widely considered the spiritual home of the Taliban, the district holds important symbolic ground for the current insurgency. As such, Panjwayi is continually the site of fighting and emplacements of improvised explosive device

Improvised explosive device

An improvised explosive device , also known as a roadside bomb, is a homemade bomb constructed and deployed in ways other than in conventional military action...

s (IED), with the bulk of Canadian Forces' casualties taken from this district.

The recent increase in ISAF forces, brought on about by the US surge, have increase troop densities in Panjwayi, resulting in a greater ability on behalf of Afghan government and international forces to conduct operations and penetrate into former Taliban strongholds, especially villages in the "Horn" of Panjwayi such as Mushan, Talokan and Zangabad. Still, the Taliban maintain a significant psychological and physical presence in the district.

Battle of Panjwaii

The district was the scene of the Battle of Panjwaii

Battle of Panjwaii

The Battle of Panjwaii was a battle fought during two periods in the summer of 2006, primarily involving Canadian and Afghan soldiers being supported with some small elements of the Dutch, American, and British forces. There were two separate times in which the forces were involved in heavy...

 involving Canadian Forces

Canadian Forces

The Canadian Forces , officially the Canadian Armed Forces , are the unified armed forces of Canada, as constituted by the National Defence Act, which states: "The Canadian Forces are the armed forces of Her Majesty raised by Canada and consist of one Service called the Canadian Armed Forces."...

 and Taliban fighters and the theatre of the ISAF

International Security Assistance Force

The International Security Assistance Force is a NATO-led security mission in Afghanistan established by the United Nations Security Council on 20 December 2001 by Resolution 1386 as envisaged by the Bonn Agreement...

 Operation Medusa

Operation Medusa

Operation Medusa was a Canadian-led offensive by major elements of the International Security Assistance Force, Afghan National Army and an A-Team from the 3rd Special Forces Group, as part of the ongoing war in Afghanistan. It aimed to establish government control over an area of Kandahar...

, September 2006. NATO claimed to have killed over 500 Taliban insurgents. http://news.monstersandcritics.com/southasia/article_1209201.php/Two_journalists_NATO_soldier_killed_in_Afghanistan

Other events

On 16 November 2009 Canadian troops captured the Taliban-controlled village of Hajji Baba southwest of Kandahar City.