Before modern era, the area was a thoroughfare of the caravan trade route between
Leh and
Tarim Basin. The
Hindutash Pass, a historical
mountain pass through the
Kunlun Mountains is just north of here. Literally meaning "three fords" in
Tibetic languages, it was a historical
ford along with caravan camp. The caravan camp which had a shed was located slightly downstream to the west on the north bank of the
Karakash River Another camp
Ak-Koom was located slightly upstream to the east at the joining of two valleys. During the 1860s at the time of
Dungan Revolt, lawlessness led to the valley being frequented by Kyrgyz robbers who would capture caravans and sell the caravaners into slavery in
Badakshan. A fort was set up by the princely state of
Jammu and Kashmir (part of the
British Indian Empire) downstream near
Xaidulla to help protect the caravans. By the 1930s, it was recorded by European travelers that a settlement of
Kyrgyz nomads was located at Kangxiwar.
Sino-Indian war During the 1962
Sino-Indian War, the
PLA's Xinjiang Military Command set up the forward headquarters for its operations in the western sector (
Aksai Chin) at Kangxiwar. It was commanded by the Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Xinjiang Military Command. The 2nd Infantry Regiment of Xinjiang was stationed here and controlled the bases at
Tianwendian,
Heweitan,
Kongka Pass and in
Ngari. Certain activities were supervised directly by
PLA General Staff Department. The Chinese soldiers who perished during the Indo-China war were buried at a
military cemetery in Kangxiwar along the G219 highway. ==See also==