19th and 20th centuries During the
Second Anglo-Afghan War, British forces led by
Lord Roberts invaded Khost from what is now Pakistan. Approximately 8,000
raiders from the
Mangal tribe, which had a long tradition of resisting outside control, launched several attacks on weakly protected British supply convoys in Khost. In
reprisal, Lord Roberts ordered his forces to attack eleven Mangal villages which had launched raids that murdered several of his camp followers, resulting in them being sacked and burnt. Once news of the reprisals became known in Britain, his political opponents in the
British Parliament criticized Lord Roberts' actions. At the end of the conflict, British forces withdrew from Khost.
Khost rebellions Between 1856 and 1925, Khost was the site of three rebellions, lasting from 1856 to 1857, 1912, and 1924–1925 respectively. During the
Soviet–Afghan War, Khost was the object of a siege that lasted for more than eight years. Soon after the invasion of Afghanistan by Soviet troops,
Afghan mujahideen took control of the only land route between Khost and Gardez, effectively putting a stop to the Soviet advance. During the assault on the Zhawar Kili Cave complex, the Soviets used the
Khost Airfield as an initial staging ground to insert troops into the combat zone, using
Mil Mi-8 armed helicopter transport ships. By April 1995, Khost was under the control of the
Taliban.
21st century During the
war in Afghanistan (2001–2021), the United States built
Forward Operating Base Chapman near Khost. Due to its location in southeastern Afghanistan, it was a hotbed for Taliban-led
insurgents attempting to dislodge the American forces there. Like most other provinces, Khost became home to maneuver forces and a
Provincial Reconstruction Team (PRT). Maneuver forces would wage war against insurgents and assist the
Afghan National Security Forces in operations, while the PRT handled the reconstruction aspects. In early 2007,
Lieutenant Colonel Scottie Custer of the
82nd Airborne Division saw that the best way to limit insurgent activity in Khost was to forward-deploy some 187
paratroopers under his command to Force Protection Facilities (FPF) in Khost's various district centers around sub-governors' mansions, to directly protect these, maintain a visible presence in population centers, and help mentor Afghan government forces operating across Khost. The FPFs brought a broader sense of security and prosperity to surrounding areas. Bazaars, shops, and gas stations have improved the quality of life for local residents. The
Mandozai Force Protection Facilities in Khost include a
medical clinic attached to further assist Afghans in need of basic medical assistance. The offices of Khost's various sub-governors had experienced an increased activity as Afghan civilians went there to settle disputes and voice concerns instead of going through traditional tribal channels and bribes, cutting down on sectarian suspicion and strife. Throughout 2007 and 2008, roads had been improved, businesses were springing up and schools were being built, at least 50 in 2007 alone with another 25 planned for 2008. A new airport was under construction as the Khost Airfield was used by the
US Military, creating new opportunities and jobs. The RT, led by CDR
David Adams was instrumental in connecting the people to the government in the city, by ensuring the PRT was able to execute over $2.5 million under the Commanders Emergency Response Program (CERP). On 12 May 2009, several teams of armed militants stormed Khost, prompting a heavy 6-hour battle with US and Afghan government forces. Reportedly the attack involved 10 suicide bombers, of whom seven were able to detonate and three were shot. On 20 November 2009 a bomb killed 3 civilians and wounded 3 others as a car hit a roadside bomb in the city. According to the chief of criminal investigation the act was perpetrated by the Taliban. On 24 November 2009, according to the
Afghan Ministry of Interior, 6 people, including 5 children were killed when a remote control bomb attacked a water station in the city which had been built by the
Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development to distribute water to the locals. On 30 December 2009,
Humam Khalil Abu-Mulal al-Balawi attacked the now-closed
Forward Operating Base Chapman in which he killed seven
CIA officers, including one Afghan and one Jordian. On 18 February 2011, a suicide car bomber targeted a police checkpoint and killed 11 people. On 14 July 2011, according to a spokesman for the provincial government, NATO ground troops killed six civilians in a night raid of the village of Toora Worai, in an area known as Matoon, about seven kilometres from the city. On 15 August 2021, Khost was seized by Taliban fighters, becoming the twenty-eighth provincial capital to be captured as part of the wider
2021 Taliban offensive. At least 29 people died in Khost during the
June 2022 Afghanistan earthquake. ==Demographics==