Afghan Independence Day
| Afghan Independence Day | |
|---|---|
|
President Hamid Karzai observing the honor guard of the Afghan Armed Forces during the 2011 Afghan Independence Day in Kabul. | |
| Observed by | Afghanistan |
| Significance | Marks Afghanistan's regaining of full independence from British influence in 1919. |
| Date | 19 August |
| Next time | 19 August 2016 |
| Frequency | annual |
Afghan Independence Day is celebrated in Afghanistan on 19 August to commemorate the Anglo-Afghan Treaty of 1919.[1] The treaty granted a complete neutral relation between Afghanistan and Britain. Although Afghanistan was never part of the British Empire, the British fought three wars with Afghanistan.
The First Anglo-Afghan War (1839–1842) led to the defeat of the entire British-led Indian invaders by Afghan forces under Akbar Khan somewhere at the Kabul-Jalalabad Road, near the city of Jalalabad.[2] After this defeat, the British-led forces returned to Afghanistan on a special mission to rescue their prisoners of war (POWs) but quickly made a complete withdrawal.
The Second Anglo-Afghan War (1878–80) first led to the British defeat followed by their victory at the Battle of Kandahar, which led to Abdur Rahman Khan becoming the new emir and the start of friendly British-Afghan relations. The British were given control of Afghanistan's foreign affairs in exchange for protection against the Russians and Persians. The Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919 led the British to give up control of Afghanistan's foreign affairs finally in 1921.
See also
References
- ↑ "The World Factbook: Afghanistan". Central Intelligence Agency. 2009-09-07. Retrieved 2009-08-18.
- ↑ "War-battered Afghanistan celebrates independence day". Associated Press. 2000-09-18. Retrieved 2009-08-18.