Sar-e Pol Province
Encyclopedia
Sar-e Pol, also spelled Sari Pul , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan
. It is in the north of the country. Sar-e-Pul Province is situated between the central highlands and the northern Turkmen plains. Sar-e-Pul borders Ghor and Baniyan
provinces to the south, Faryab
, Jawzjan and Balkh
to the west and north, and Samangan
to the east. Its capital is the city of Sar-e Pol
. Dari (Persian)
is the dominant language in the province and in the region. The province was created in 1988, with the support of northern Afghan politician Sayed Nasim Mihanparast.
km. Three quarters (75%) of the province is mountainous or semi mountainous terrain while one-seventh (14%) of the area is made up of flat land. The province is divided into 7 Districts. The provincial capital is Sar-e Pol centre which has a
population of about 115,463 inhabitants.
, the first senior member of the Taliban to be captured, was the former governor of the province.
and Sozama Qala areas termed as the peaceful districts of the province. In operations against the Taliban, the police chief said they had arrested a prominent Taliban commander Mullah Nadar along with 11 other people during the recent operations. He said scores of kilograms of hashish
and opium
had also been seized from people during the operations.
The biggest threat to travelers in Sar-i-Pul remains highway bandits and thieves, corrupt militiamen and police, and road hazards. The Taliban have small cadres operating throughout the province but rely on larger support networks in neighboring provinces.
. Also Aziza Jalis, Sayed Anwar Sadat, Mohammad Hossein Fahimi, Sayed Mohammad Hossein Sharifi Balkhabi, Haji Khair Mohammad Imaq are the current Wolesi Jirga member of Sar-e Pol Province.
controls a political party called Junbish-i-Milli Islami Afghanistan (National Islamic Movement) which is a core of Jabhe-ye-Motahed-e-Milli. He claims to have a strong support in up to eight provinces in the north of the country, including Samangan
province, predominantly populated by ethnic Uzbeks
. Dostum's major power base is in Uzbek
enclaves in the northern provinces of Jowzjan, Balkh
, Faryab, and Samangan
. Dostum's headquarters is located in Jowzjan’s capital, Sheberghan
. In the past, Dostum held various official positions (deputy defense minister, a special adviser on security and military affairs, President Karzai
's representative in the north) until the relations between President Karzai
and General Dostum deteriorated.
Jabhe-ye-Motahed-e-Milli (United National Front
): The largest opposition block built by General Dostum and aimed against President Karzai
. Burhanuddin Rabbani
and the late Ahmad Shah Massoud's closest advisers joined Dostum in his demands to change the presidential system
into parliamentary, to negotiate with armed groups and to recognize the Durand line
. On August 27 of 2008 the Front in a statement urged the neighboring countries, members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Russia
, India
, Saudi Arabia
, and members of NATO alliance to hold a crisis meeting on Afghanistan
.
Hizb-e Wahdat-e Islami Afghanistan (Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan): Hizb-e Wahdat-e Islami Afghanistan began as a Shi’a umbrella party led by Abdul Ali Mazari
. Abdul Ali Mazari
died under mysterious circumstances while in custody of the Taliban. During the Soviet invasion the party received support from Iran
. The party "remains the primary political force among the Hazara." During the period of Taliban rule, the party held on to the Hazarajat
against the attempted blockade by the Taliban. It is currently led by Mohammad Karim Khalili, who is currently the Second Vice President
to Hamid Karzai
. For a time Haji Mohammad Mohaqeq was the military leader of the party under the political leadership of Khalili. Mohaqeq and Khalili had a falling out, however, over Mohaqeq’s decision to run for president without the official approval of the party. Subsequently, Mohaqeq split away and formed his own party, Hezb-e Wahdat-e Eslami-ye Mardom-e Afghanistan. The original Wahdat party has begun to lose influence and support among the Hazara, in part because of the pull of Mohaqeq’s new party and likely because Khalili's position as Second Vice President distracts from his efforts to look after the needs of the Hazara.
Jamiat-e Islami (Islamic Society of Afghanistan):
Led by Burhanuddin Rabbani
, Jamiat-e-Islami became the dominant political resistance party in northeastern Afghanistan
. In 1980, Jamiat was the second most popular resistance front and enjoyed strong support from the Tajik communities of Badakshan, the Panjshir Valley
and Herat Province
in the west. Ahmad Shah Massoud, Ismail Khan
, Mullah Naqibullah and Zabibullah, all influential Jamiat military commanders, would help galvanize Jamiat into one of the most formidable resistance movements of the Soviet-Afghan war. The failure of the Soviet Army to pacify the Panjshir Valley
despite seven massive military offensives against the region between 1980 and 1984 solidified Ahmad Shah
as a legendary commander and helped preserve popular support for Jamiat throughout the region. In general, Jamiat is considered to be a moderate Islamist movement that drew recruits from those educated in government schools (both religious and secular) and among the ulema (in the north) and the naqshbandi
Sufi order found throughout the north. Although multiple ethnic groups including Pashtuns formed comprised Jamiat, it is most commonly referred to be dominated by Tajiks
from the northeast.
Supervisory Council of the North
(SCN):
In 1984, top resistance commanders operating the northern provinces of Takhar, Badakhshan
, Balkh
and Kunduz
formed a council under the leadership of Ahmad Shah Massoud. The Supervisory Council of the North
became an integrated military unit with both political and security components and posed the greatest threat to the communist occupation of Afghanistan
in the north. Although many of the SCN leaders were affiliates of Rabbani
’s Jamiat-e-Islami, the SCN established deep ties with local communities and ran its affairs independently from the Jamiat leadership based in Pakistan
. Many former SCN commanders and fighters continue to exert influence and power at various levels throughout the Northern provinces.
Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin (HIG):
Mujahideen
party active since the Soviet invasion; led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
. HIG was famous for its shifting loyalties, and was the favorite party of Pakistan
’s ISI
until the rise of the Taliban. Former members continue to wield considerable influence. Thus far, HIG has been actively opposed to US-led and Afghan national forces. Hekmatyar is a Kharoti
Ghilzai
and, therefore, less influential than the much more respected and powerful Khugianis
, such as Haji Din Mohammad
and Anwarul Haq Mohammad. Hezb-i-Islami in Sar-e Pol initially recruited Hazaras into their ranks until 1988 when many Hazaras switched allegiances to the Hezb-e-Whadat tanzim.
Around three quarters (74%) of the population of Sar-e Pol lives in rural districts while one quarter (26%) lives in urban areas. Around 51% of the population is male and 49% is female. The major ethnic groups living in Sar-e Pol province are Uzbek, Pashtun
, Hazara followed by Arab
and Tajik, the major tribe is Uzbek in all districts. Persian
is the most dominant language
in the province. It is spoken by about 258,000 people (56%) and 525 villages (63%). The second most frequent language is Uzbeki, spoken in 149 villages representing 19% of the population.
Sar-e-Pul province also has a population of Kuchis
or nomads whose numbers vary in different seasons. In winter 59,843 individuals, or 2.5% of the overall Kuchi population, stay in Sar-e Pol. 57% of these are short-range partially migratory, 2% are long-range partially migratory and 40% is settled partially migratory. During both the winter time and the summer time they still migrate in search of good pastures within their respective summer and winter areas. The summer areas for the short range migratory Kuchi are in Sozma Qala, Sang Charak, Sar Pul
, and Sayyad
districts of Sar-e Pol province (in decreasing order of importance) and for the long range migratory Kuchi are in Chemtal
and Sholgara
districts of Balkh province
. In summer some communities (around 184 households) migrate into Sar-e Pol province from Balkh
. The Kuchi population in the summer is 60,292 individuals. Some 168 Kuchi households are also reported to live in IDP camps.
and AWCC are available to wireless subscribers in Sar-e Pol.
Provinces of Afghanistan
The provinces of Afghanistan are the primary administrative divisions of Afghanistan. As of 2004, there are thirty-four provinces in the country. Each province is further divided into smaller districts....
. It is in the north of the country. Sar-e-Pul Province is situated between the central highlands and the northern Turkmen plains. Sar-e-Pul borders Ghor and Baniyan
Bamiyan Province
Bamyan Province is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the centre of the country. Its capital is also called Bamyan. The majority of the population are Hazaras, with 16% Sadat, 15% Tajiks, and Pashtuns and Tatars in smaller numbers...
provinces to the south, Faryab
Faryab Province
Fāryāb is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country. Its capital is Maymana. The majority of the population is Uzbek.-History:...
, Jawzjan and Balkh
Balkh Province
Balkh is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country and its name derives from the ancient city of Balkh, near the modern town...
to the west and north, and Samangan
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...
to the east. Its capital is the city of Sar-e Pol
Sar-e Pol (city)
Sar-e Pol or Sari Pul is the capital city of the province of Sar-e Pol in northern Afghanistan. It is in Sari Pul District.- Demography and Population :The provincial capital has a population of about 115,463 inhabitants....
. Dari (Persian)
Dari (Persian)
Dari or Fārsī-ye Darī in historical terms refers to the Persian court language of the Sassanids. In contemporary usage, the term refers to the dialects of modern Persian language spoken in Afghanistan, and hence known as Afghan Persian in some Western sources. It is the term officially recognized...
is the dominant language in the province and in the region. The province was created in 1988, with the support of northern Afghan politician Sayed Nasim Mihanparast.
Geography
It is a mountainous province especially in its southern part. The province covers an area of 16,360km. Three quarters (75%) of the province is mountainous or semi mountainous terrain while one-seventh (14%) of the area is made up of flat land. The province is divided into 7 Districts. The provincial capital is Sar-e Pol centre which has a
population of about 115,463 inhabitants.
Under the Taliban
Aminullah AminAminullah Amin
Aminullah Aminwas held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detention camps, in Cuba.His Guantanamo Internment Serial Number was 504.Aminulla Amin was transferred to Pakistan on September 17, 2004.-Role in the Taliban:...
, the first senior member of the Taliban to be captured, was the former governor of the province.
Security
In 2009, Sar-e-Pul Police Chief, Muhammad Bilal Niram said arms had been collected from any people and three districts, namely, Sangcharak, GosfandiGosfandi District
Gosfandi District is a district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan....
and Sozama Qala areas termed as the peaceful districts of the province. In operations against the Taliban, the police chief said they had arrested a prominent Taliban commander Mullah Nadar along with 11 other people during the recent operations. He said scores of kilograms of hashish
Hashish
Hashish is a cannabis preparation composed of compressed stalked resin glands, called trichomes, collected from the unfertilized buds of the cannabis plant. It contains the same active ingredients but in higher concentrations than unsifted buds or leaves...
and opium
Opium
Opium is the dried latex obtained from the opium poppy . Opium contains up to 12% morphine, an alkaloid, which is frequently processed chemically to produce heroin for the illegal drug trade. The latex also includes codeine and non-narcotic alkaloids such as papaverine, thebaine and noscapine...
had also been seized from people during the operations.
The biggest threat to travelers in Sar-i-Pul remains highway bandits and thieves, corrupt militiamen and police, and road hazards. The Taliban have small cadres operating throughout the province but rely on larger support networks in neighboring provinces.
Politics and government
The current governor of Sar-e Pol is Sayed Anwar RahmatiSayed Anwar Rahmati
Sayed Anwar Rahmati is a politician in Afghanistan, serving as Governor of Sar-e Pol Province since January 17, 2011. He was previously Chief of staff to Karim Khalili between 2004 and 2010. He is an ethnic Hazara...
. Also Aziza Jalis, Sayed Anwar Sadat, Mohammad Hossein Fahimi, Sayed Mohammad Hossein Sharifi Balkhabi, Haji Khair Mohammad Imaq are the current Wolesi Jirga member of Sar-e Pol Province.
Active political parties
Junbish-i-Milli Islami Afghanistan (National Islamic Movement of Afghanistan): General Abdul Rashid DostumAbdul Rashid Dostum
Abdul Rashid Dostum is a former pro-Soviet fighter during the Soviet war in Afghanistan and is considered by many to be the leader of Afghanistan's Uzbek community and the party Junbish-e Milli-yi Islami-yi Afghanistan...
controls a political party called Junbish-i-Milli Islami Afghanistan (National Islamic Movement) which is a core of Jabhe-ye-Motahed-e-Milli. He claims to have a strong support in up to eight provinces in the north of the country, including Samangan
Samangan
Samangan is a provincial town, medieval caravan stop, and the headquarters of the Samangan Province in the district of the same name in the northern part of Afghanistan...
province, predominantly populated by ethnic Uzbeks
Uzbeks
The Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, and large populations can also be found in Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China...
. Dostum's major power base is in Uzbek
Uzbeks
The Uzbeks are a Turkic ethnic group in Central Asia. They comprise the majority population of Uzbekistan, and large populations can also be found in Afghanistan, Tajikstan, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, Russia, Pakistan, Mongolia and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China...
enclaves in the northern provinces of Jowzjan, Balkh
Balkh
Balkh , was an ancient city and centre of Zoroastrianism in what is now northern Afghanistan. Today it is a small town in the province of Balkh, about 20 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital, Mazar-e Sharif, and some south of the Amu Darya. It was one of the major cities of Khorasan...
, Faryab, and Samangan
Samangan
Samangan is a provincial town, medieval caravan stop, and the headquarters of the Samangan Province in the district of the same name in the northern part of Afghanistan...
. Dostum's headquarters is located in Jowzjan’s capital, Sheberghan
Sheberghan
Sheberghān or Shaburghān , also spelled Shebirghan and Shibarghan, is the capital city of the Jowzjan Province in northern Afghanistan.-Location:...
. In the past, Dostum held various official positions (deputy defense minister, a special adviser on security and military affairs, President Karzai
Karzai
Karzai may refer to:*Abdul Ahad Karzai, father of Hamid Karzai*Ahmed Wali Karzai, half-brother of Hamid Karzai*Habibullah Karzai, uncle of Hamid Karzai*Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan*Hekmat Karzai, cousin of Hamid Karzai...
's representative in the north) until the relations between President Karzai
Karzai
Karzai may refer to:*Abdul Ahad Karzai, father of Hamid Karzai*Ahmed Wali Karzai, half-brother of Hamid Karzai*Habibullah Karzai, uncle of Hamid Karzai*Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan*Hekmat Karzai, cousin of Hamid Karzai...
and General Dostum deteriorated.
Jabhe-ye-Motahed-e-Milli (United National Front
United National Front (Afghanistan)
The Afghanistan National Front is a coalition of various political parties in Afghanistan.The group is as a broad coalition of former and current strongmen, commanders from the anti-Soviet resistance, ex-Communist leaders, and various social and ethnic groups....
): The largest opposition block built by General Dostum and aimed against President Karzai
Karzai
Karzai may refer to:*Abdul Ahad Karzai, father of Hamid Karzai*Ahmed Wali Karzai, half-brother of Hamid Karzai*Habibullah Karzai, uncle of Hamid Karzai*Hamid Karzai, President of Afghanistan*Hekmat Karzai, cousin of Hamid Karzai...
. Burhanuddin Rabbani
Burhanuddin Rabbani
Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani was President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan from 1992 to 1996. After the Taliban government was toppled during Operation Enduring Freedom, Rabbani returned to Kabul and served as a temporary President from November to December 20, 2001, when Hamid Karzai was...
and the late Ahmad Shah Massoud's closest advisers joined Dostum in his demands to change the presidential system
Presidential system
A presidential system is a system of government where an executive branch exists and presides separately from the legislature, to which it is not responsible and which cannot, in normal circumstances, dismiss it....
into parliamentary, to negotiate with armed groups and to recognize the Durand line
Durand Line
The Durand Line refers to the porous international border between Pakistan and Afghanistan, which has divided the ethnic Pashtuns . This poorly marked line is approximately long...
. On August 27 of 2008 the Front in a statement urged the neighboring countries, members of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
, and members of NATO alliance to hold a crisis meeting on 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...
.
Hizb-e Wahdat-e Islami Afghanistan (Islamic Unity Party of Afghanistan): Hizb-e Wahdat-e Islami Afghanistan began as a Shi’a umbrella party led by Abdul Ali Mazari
Abdul Ali Mazari
Abdul Ali Mazari was a political leader of the Hezbe Wahdat during and following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Mazari was an ethnic Hazara, and believed the solution to the divisiveness in Afghanistan was in federalism, where every ethnic group would have specific constitutional...
. Abdul Ali Mazari
Abdul Ali Mazari
Abdul Ali Mazari was a political leader of the Hezbe Wahdat during and following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Mazari was an ethnic Hazara, and believed the solution to the divisiveness in Afghanistan was in federalism, where every ethnic group would have specific constitutional...
died under mysterious circumstances while in custody of the Taliban. During the Soviet invasion the party received support from Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
. The party "remains the primary political force among the Hazara." During the period of Taliban rule, the party held on to the Hazarajat
Hazarajat
The Hazarajat is the original homeland of the Hazara people, and lies in the central highlands of Afghanistan, among the Koh-i-Baba mountains and the western extremities of the Hindu Kush. Its physical boundaries, however, are roughly marked by the Bamiyan Basin to the north, the headwaters of...
against the attempted blockade by the Taliban. It is currently led by Mohammad Karim Khalili, who is currently the Second Vice President
Vice president
A vice president is an officer in government or business who is below a president in rank. The name comes from the Latin vice meaning 'in place of'. In some countries, the vice president is called the deputy president...
to Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai
Hamid Karzai, GCMG is the 12th and current President of Afghanistan, taking office on 7 December 2004. He became a dominant political figure after the removal of the Taliban regime in late 2001...
. For a time Haji Mohammad Mohaqeq was the military leader of the party under the political leadership of Khalili. Mohaqeq and Khalili had a falling out, however, over Mohaqeq’s decision to run for president without the official approval of the party. Subsequently, Mohaqeq split away and formed his own party, Hezb-e Wahdat-e Eslami-ye Mardom-e Afghanistan. The original Wahdat party has begun to lose influence and support among the Hazara, in part because of the pull of Mohaqeq’s new party and likely because Khalili's position as Second Vice President distracts from his efforts to look after the needs of the Hazara.
Jamiat-e Islami (Islamic Society of Afghanistan):
Led by Burhanuddin Rabbani
Burhanuddin Rabbani
Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani was President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan from 1992 to 1996. After the Taliban government was toppled during Operation Enduring Freedom, Rabbani returned to Kabul and served as a temporary President from November to December 20, 2001, when Hamid Karzai was...
, Jamiat-e-Islami became the dominant political resistance party in northeastern 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...
. In 1980, Jamiat was the second most popular resistance front and enjoyed strong support from the Tajik communities of Badakshan, the Panjshir Valley
Panjshir Valley
The Panjshir Province is a valley in north-central Afghanistan, 150 km north of Kabul, near the Hindu Kush mountain range. Located in the Panjshir Province it is divided by the Panjshir River...
and Herat Province
Herat Province
Herat is one the 34 provinces of Afghanistan; together with Badghis, Farah, and Ghor provinces, it makes up the South-western region of the country...
in the west. Ahmad Shah Massoud, Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan
Ismail Khan is a politician and former mujahideen commander from Afghanistan. Born in the western Afghan city of Herat, he rose to become a powerful rebel commander during in the Soviet War in Afghanistan, and then a key member of the Northern Alliance until finally becoming the Governor of Herat...
, Mullah Naqibullah and Zabibullah, all influential Jamiat military commanders, would help galvanize Jamiat into one of the most formidable resistance movements of the Soviet-Afghan war. The failure of the Soviet Army to pacify the Panjshir Valley
Panjshir Valley
The Panjshir Province is a valley in north-central Afghanistan, 150 km north of Kabul, near the Hindu Kush mountain range. Located in the Panjshir Province it is divided by the Panjshir River...
despite seven massive military offensives against the region between 1980 and 1984 solidified Ahmad Shah
Ahmad Shah (Taliban)
Ahmad Shah was a high-ranking Taliban leader who commanded a group of insurgents known as the "Mountain Tigers", operating in eastern Afghanistan and the Hindu-Kush mountains....
as a legendary commander and helped preserve popular support for Jamiat throughout the region. In general, Jamiat is considered to be a moderate Islamist movement that drew recruits from those educated in government schools (both religious and secular) and among the ulema (in the north) and the naqshbandi
Naqshbandi
Naqshbandi is one of the major Sufi spiritual orders of Sufi Islam. It is considered to be a "Potent" order.The Naqshbandi order is over 1,300 years old, and is active today...
Sufi order found throughout the north. Although multiple ethnic groups including Pashtuns formed comprised Jamiat, it is most commonly referred to be dominated by Tajiks
Tajiks
Tajik is a general designation for a wide range of Persian-speaking people of Iranic origin, with traditional homelands in present-day Afghanistan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan...
from the northeast.
Supervisory Council of the North
Supervisory Council of the North
- History :In 1984, top resistance commanders operating the northern provinces of Takhar, Badakhshan, Balkh and Kunduz formed a council under the leadership of Ahmad Shah Massoud. The Supervisory Council of the North became an integrated military unit with both political and security components and...
(SCN):
In 1984, top resistance commanders operating the northern provinces of Takhar, Badakhshan
Badakhshan
Badakhshan is an historic region comprising parts of what is now northeastern Afghanistan and southeastern Tajikistan. The name is retained in Badakhshan Province which is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the far northeast of Afghanistan, and contains the Wakhan Corridor...
, Balkh
Balkh
Balkh , was an ancient city and centre of Zoroastrianism in what is now northern Afghanistan. Today it is a small town in the province of Balkh, about 20 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital, Mazar-e Sharif, and some south of the Amu Darya. It was one of the major cities of Khorasan...
and Kunduz
Kunduz
Kunduz also known as Kundûz, Qonduz, Qondûz, Konduz, Kondûz, Kondoz, or Qhunduz is a city in northern Afghanistan, the capital of Kunduz Province. It is linked by highways with Mazari Sharif to the west, Kabul to the south and Tajikistan's border to the north...
formed a council under the leadership of Ahmad Shah Massoud. The Supervisory Council of the North
Supervisory Council of the North
- History :In 1984, top resistance commanders operating the northern provinces of Takhar, Badakhshan, Balkh and Kunduz formed a council under the leadership of Ahmad Shah Massoud. The Supervisory Council of the North became an integrated military unit with both political and security components and...
became an integrated military unit with both political and security components and posed the greatest threat to the communist occupation of 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...
in the north. Although many of the SCN leaders were affiliates of Rabbani
Burhanuddin Rabbani
Professor Burhanuddin Rabbani was President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan from 1992 to 1996. After the Taliban government was toppled during Operation Enduring Freedom, Rabbani returned to Kabul and served as a temporary President from November to December 20, 2001, when Hamid Karzai was...
’s Jamiat-e-Islami, the SCN established deep ties with local communities and ran its affairs independently from the Jamiat leadership based in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. Many former SCN commanders and fighters continue to exert influence and power at various levels throughout the Northern provinces.
Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin (HIG):
Mujahideen
Mujahideen
Mujahideen are Muslims who struggle in the path of God. The word is from the same Arabic triliteral as jihad .Mujahideen is also transliterated from Arabic as mujahedin, mujahedeen, mudžahedin, mudžahidin, mujahidīn, mujaheddīn and more.-Origin of the concept:The beginnings of Jihad are traced...
party active since the Soviet invasion; led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar is an Afghan Mujahideen leader who is the founder and leader of the Hezb-e Islami political party and paramilitary group. Hekmatyar was a rebel military commander during the 1980s Soviet war in Afghanistan and was one of the key figures in the civil war that followed the...
. HIG was famous for its shifting loyalties, and was the favorite party of Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
’s ISI
Inter-Services Intelligence
The Directorate for Inter-Services Intelligence , is Pakistan's premier intelligence agency, responsible for providing critical national security intelligence assessment to the Government of Pakistan...
until the rise of the Taliban. Former members continue to wield considerable influence. Thus far, HIG has been actively opposed to US-led and Afghan national forces. Hekmatyar is a Kharoti
Kharoti
Kharoti is a Pashtun tribe of Ghilzai origin. The tribe has an estimated population of about 2.5 million ....
Ghilzai
Ghilzai
Ghilzai are the largest Pashtun tribal confederacy found in Afghanistan and Pakistan. They are also known historically as Ghilji, Khilji, Ghalji, Ghilzye, and possibly Gharzai...
and, therefore, less influential than the much more respected and powerful Khugianis
Khogyani (tribe)
The Khogyani tribe is a Pashtun tribe of the Karlani or "Hill Tribes" branch. The tribe originated from the Khogyani District along the Koh-i-Safed mountain range in Nangarhar Province of Afghanistan...
, such as Haji Din Mohammad
Haji Din Mohammad
Hajji Din Mohammad is a politician in Afghanistan, who first served as the Governor of Nangarhar Province followed by Governor of Kabul Province. He comes from a distinguished Pashtun family which has served the Afghan nation for more than 150 years. His great-grandfather, Wazir Arsala Khan, served...
and Anwarul Haq Mohammad. Hezb-i-Islami in Sar-e Pol initially recruited Hazaras into their ranks until 1988 when many Hazaras switched allegiances to the Hezb-e-Whadat tanzim.
Demography
Sar-e Pol has a total population of 442,261. There are 73,266 households in the province and households on average have 7 members.Around three quarters (74%) of the population of Sar-e Pol lives in rural districts while one quarter (26%) lives in urban areas. Around 51% of the population is male and 49% is female. The major ethnic groups living in Sar-e Pol province are Uzbek, Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
, Hazara followed by Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
and Tajik, the major tribe is Uzbek in all districts. Persian
Persian language
Persian is an Iranian language within the Indo-Iranian branch of the Indo-European languages. It is primarily spoken in Iran, Afghanistan, Tajikistan and countries which historically came under Persian influence...
is the most dominant language
Language
Language may refer either to the specifically human capacity for acquiring and using complex systems of communication, or to a specific instance of such a system of complex communication...
in the province. It is spoken by about 258,000 people (56%) and 525 villages (63%). The second most frequent language is Uzbeki, spoken in 149 villages representing 19% of the population.
Sar-e-Pul province also has a population of Kuchis
Kuchis
Kuchis , are Afghan Pashtun nomads, primarily from the Ghilzai, Kakar, Lodi, Ahmadzai as well as some Durrani tribes, but occasionally there may also be some Baloch people among them that live a nomadic life travelling between pastoral lands in Afghanistan and in Pakistan...
or nomads whose numbers vary in different seasons. In winter 59,843 individuals, or 2.5% of the overall Kuchi population, stay in Sar-e Pol. 57% of these are short-range partially migratory, 2% are long-range partially migratory and 40% is settled partially migratory. During both the winter time and the summer time they still migrate in search of good pastures within their respective summer and winter areas. The summer areas for the short range migratory Kuchi are in Sozma Qala, Sang Charak, Sar Pul
Sar-e Pol District
Sar-e Pol District is a district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan. It contains the capital, Sar-e Pol.It is located at...
, and Sayyad
Sayyad District
Sayyad District is a district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan....
districts of Sar-e Pol province (in decreasing order of importance) and for the long range migratory Kuchi are in Chemtal
Chemtal
Chemtal or Chimtal is a town and seat of Chimtal District in Balkh Province in northern Afghanistan.-External links:**...
and Sholgara
Sholgara District
Sholgara is a district in the southern part of Balkh Province, Afghanistan. It is located at a crossroads between several districts, just south of Mazari Sharif...
districts of Balkh province
Balkh Province
Balkh is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the north of the country and its name derives from the ancient city of Balkh, near the modern town...
. In summer some communities (around 184 households) migrate into Sar-e Pol province from Balkh
Balkh
Balkh , was an ancient city and centre of Zoroastrianism in what is now northern Afghanistan. Today it is a small town in the province of Balkh, about 20 kilometers northwest of the provincial capital, Mazar-e Sharif, and some south of the Amu Darya. It was one of the major cities of Khorasan...
. The Kuchi population in the summer is 60,292 individuals. Some 168 Kuchi households are also reported to live in IDP camps.
Population by districts
The province is divided into 7 Districts.| District | Capital | Population | Area | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balkhab Balkhab District Balkhab District is a district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan. The district seat lies at Balkhab, also known as Tarkhoj.Coal is mined in the area.A massive copper deposit is also located in Balkhab district of Sar-e pol province, the new copper discovery is bigger than the current Aynak copper... |
Tarkhoj | 44,041 | ||
| Gosfandi Gosfandi District Gosfandi District is a district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan.... |
39,721 | Created in 2006 within Sayyad District Sayyad District Sayyad District is a district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan.... ; most recently created district up to date |
||
| Kohistanat Kohistanat District Kohistanat District is a district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan.-Villages:*Aruj, Afghanistan*Gawanak*Jarghan*Jawak*Negala... |
72,037 | |||
| Sangcharak Sangcharak District Sangcharak District or Sancharak is a district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan. Its center is the city of Tukzar or Tokzar. Sangcharak district borders Balkh Province in the east. Sangcharak District's area is 1089 square kilometres.- Population :... |
Tukzar Tukzar Tukzar or Tokzar or Tugzar is a town in Sangcharak district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan. The town is the administrative centre of Sangcharak district.... |
87,670 | 1,089 km2 | |
| Sar-e Pol Sar-e Pol District Sar-e Pol District is a district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan. It contains the capital, Sar-e Pol.It is located at... |
Sar-e Pol | 115,463 | ||
| Sayyad Sayyad District Sayyad District is a district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan.... |
47,336 | Sub-divided in 2006 | ||
| Sozma Qala Sozma Qala District Sozma Qala District is a district of Sar-e Pol Province, Afghanistan.... |
36,993 |
Telecommunications
Both RoshanRoshan (telco)
Roshan is Afghanistan's leading telecommunications provider, serving approximately 3.5 million active subscribers.In January 2003, Roshan was awarded the second GSM license in Afghanistan at a time when there was virtually no telecommunications infrastructure in place; national calls were...
and AWCC are available to wireless subscribers in Sar-e Pol.