Puli Khumri

Coordinates: 35°57′N 68°42′E / 35.950°N 68.700°E / 35.950; 68.700
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Puli Khumri
پل خمری
View of the city
View of the city
Puli Khumri is located in Afghanistan
Puli Khumri
Puli Khumri
Location in Afghanistan
Coordinates: 35°57′N 68°42′E / 35.950°N 68.700°E / 35.950; 68.700
Country Afghanistan
ProvinceBaghlan Province
DistrictPuli Khumri District
Area
 • Total3,752 ha (9,271 acres)
Elevation920 m (3,020 ft)
Population
 (2014-2015)[2]
 • Total221,274
 • Density5,900/km2 (15,000/sq mi)
 Population Total is Estimated
Time zoneUTC+4:30 (Afghanistan Time)

Puli Khumrī (Persian: پل خمری), also spelled Pul-i-Khumri or Pol-e Khomri, is a city in northern Afghanistan. Puli Khumri is the capital and largest city of Baghlan Province, whose name comes from the other major town in the province, Baghlan.[3] The city has an estimated population of about 221,274 as of 2015, making it about the 9th-largest city of Afghanistan, and the second-largest city in northeastern Afghanistan after Kunduz.[2] It is a major industrial city.[4]

History[edit]

As of 2017, Taliban insurgents are active in the Dand-e-Shahabuddin part of Puli Khumri.[5] On 5 May 2019, Taliban members stormed the city's police headquarters, killing 13 police.[6] On 1 September 2019, Taliban assaulted the city,[7] but were repelled by the Afghan Army. On 16 January 2021, the district's NDS chief Fazal Wakilzada was killed in a Taliban attack.[8]

On 10 August 2021, Puli Khumri became the eighth provincial capital to be captured by the Taliban as part of their nationwide military offensive.[9][10]

On 13 October 2023, 7 people were killed and 15 injured in a suicide bombing at a Shia mosque carried out by Islamic State – Khorasan Province.[11]

Geography[edit]

Puli Khumri, located about 100 kilometres (60 mi) south of Kunduz, 200 kilometres (120 mi) southeast of Mazar-i-Sharif, and 230 kilometres (140 mi) north of Kabul, is a trading and transit hub in the region.[1]

Land use[edit]

Men working on a scaffold, c. 1939

As of 2015, Puli Khumri had 6 districts and a total land area of 3,752 hectares. The total number of dwellings in the city was 24,586.[1] Agricultural lands account for the largest land use in Puli Khumri (65%), with the majority of that land in Districts 3, 5, and 6. Districts 1 and 2 have the highest dwelling densities but District 5 is home to the most dwelling units. Puli Khumri has a diverse housing stock consisting of regular, irregular, and hillside houses as well as apartment buildings.[1] Rs. 34.7 trillion (US$120 billion)

Climate[edit]

With an influence from the local steppe climate, Puli Khumri features a cold semi-arid climate (BSk) under the Köppen climate classification. The average temperature in Puli Khumri is 15.9 °C, while the annual precipitation averages 282 mm.

July is the hottest month of the year with an average temperature of 28.5 °C. The coldest month January has an average temperature of 3.0 °C.

Climate data for Puli Khumri
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 8.3
(46.9)
10.9
(51.6)
16.2
(61.2)
21.8
(71.2)
28.7
(83.7)
35.3
(95.5)
37.1
(98.8)
35.9
(96.6)
31.6
(88.9)
24.8
(76.6)
15.7
(60.3)
9.6
(49.3)
23.0
(73.4)
Daily mean °C (°F) 3.0
(37.4)
5.7
(42.3)
10.7
(51.3)
16.0
(60.8)
21.3
(70.3)
26.5
(79.7)
28.5
(83.3)
27.0
(80.6)
22.5
(72.5)
16.5
(61.7)
9.1
(48.4)
4.2
(39.6)
15.9
(60.7)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) −2.2
(28.0)
0.6
(33.1)
5.3
(41.5)
10.2
(50.4)
14.0
(57.2)
17.8
(64.0)
19.9
(67.8)
18.1
(64.6)
13.4
(56.1)
8.2
(46.8)
2.5
(36.5)
−1.1
(30.0)
8.9
(48.0)
Average precipitation mm (inches) 31
(1.2)
43
(1.7)
63
(2.5)
65
(2.6)
27
(1.1)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
0
(0)
8
(0.3)
20
(0.8)
25
(1.0)
282
(11.2)
Source: [12]

Demographics[edit]

Population census
YearPop.±% p.a.
2002 (est.) 60,000[citation needed]—    
2006 (est.) 180,800[citation needed]—    
2007 (est.) 58,300[citation needed]—    

Economy[edit]

There are two dams in Puli Khumri, which provide the necessary electricity.

Afghanistan's first cement factory, Ghori I Cement Factory, was built in 1954 in Puli Khumri with financial support from Czechoslovakia. It is currently owned and operated by Afghan Invest Co., and operated by Ahmad Javid Jaihoon.[13] The limestone is mined from the hill behind the factory.[14]

There is a coal mine outside of the city in the village Kar-kar, but the production system is archaic.

Agriculture is very important because of the rain and temperature; wheat, spices, and rice are the main crops.

Provincial Reconstruction Team[edit]

The lead nation of the local Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT) was Hungary, which operated in the city from 2006 to March 2013[citation needed]. Previous to 2006, the lead nation was the Netherlands.[15]

Electrical transmission lines built from Puli Khumri are now[when?] bringing a steady supply of electricity to Kabul.

See also[edit]

References[edit]

  1. ^ a b c d e "State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-II)". UN-Habitat (in English and Dari). 2015. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  2. ^ a b "State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-I English)". UN-Habitat. 2015. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 21 October 2015.
  3. ^ Dupree, Nancy Hatch (1977) [1st Edition: 1970]. An Historical Guide to Afghanistan (2nd Edition, Revised and Enlarged ed.). Afghan Tourist Organization.
  4. ^ "Northern revolt quelled". gulfnews.com. Reuters. 16 December 2001. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
  5. ^ Amiry, Sharif (3 August 2017). "Pul-e-Khumri Residents Speak Out About Ongoing Battles". TOLOnews. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  6. ^ "Afghan officials: Taliban launch complex attack on police". Taiwan News. Associated Press. 5 May 2019. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  7. ^ "Several civilians dead as Taliban attacks northern city". www.aljazeera.com. 2 September 2019. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 7 June 2020.
  8. ^ "NDS district chief Fazal Wakilzada and his bodyguard were killed in today's IED blast in Pul-e-Khumri, Baghlan". afghanistan.liveuamap.com. 16 January 2021. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 17 January 2021.
  9. ^ Makoii, Akhtar Mohammad; Beaumont, Peter (10 August 2021). "Taliban fighters capture Afghan city at strategic junction north of Kabul". The Guardian. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  10. ^ "Taliban seizes eighth provincial capital, Pul-e-Khumri in Baghlan" (AV Media). YouTube. Al Jazeera English. 10 August 2021. Archived from the original on 22 December 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  11. ^ Radio Azadi, Radio Azadi. "Dead, Wounded In Afghan Mosque Blast During Friday Prayers". rfel.org. Radio Azadi. Retrieved 14 October 2023.
  12. ^ "Climate پل خمری (Puli Khumri)". Climate-Data.org. Retrieved 9 September 2016.
  13. ^ "Afghan Cement and Afghan Coal LLC - About". Archived from the original on 27 April 2018. Retrieved 3 September 2018.
  14. ^ Magyar, Honvedseg (2010). "Baghlan taromány CIMIC kézikönyve" (PDF). Magyar Honvédség ÖHP. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 December 2013.
  15. ^ McMahon, Robert (20 October 2005). "Afghanistan: PRTs Spreading, Though Impact Remains Unclear". Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty. Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 19 December 2007.