Zaiwalat

Zaiwalat, also Zaywalāyat or Zywlayt (Pashto:زیولایت) is a subdistrict and village of Jalrez District, Maidan Wardak Province, Afghanistan.[1] It lies along the Kabul-Behsud Highway, to the west of Kot-e Ashro and to the east of the town of Jalrez.[2] As of 2010 the village itself had a population of about 300 people. It is inhabited mainly by Pashtuns and is a producer of fruit, with extensive orchards in the vicinity.

Zaiwalat
Subdistrict and village
Zaiwalat
Location in Afghanistan
Coordinates: 34°27′22″N 68°43′44″E
Country Afghanistan
ProvinceMaidan Wardak
DistrictJalrez
Elevation
2,303 m (7,556 ft)
Time zoneUTC+4:30

History

In 2009, American convoys were ambushed by the Taliban in the predominantly Pashtun village of Zaiwalat.[3] The US retaliated and invaded the village at 3.15am on November 19th 2009, capturing nine locals, including Habib ur-Rahman, a suspected Talibanist, and taking them by helicopter to Rish-Khor for a three-day interrogation.[4][5] As of 2010 the village had an estimated people of about 300 people.[6]

In 2014, a 12 metres (39 ft) bridge was built in Zaiwalat.[7] In September 2016, 11 men from the village were kidnapped by unidentified gunmen. After 20 days, a group from the village retaliated with an armed attack, capturing six people, leading to the release of the 11 hostages.[8]

Economy

The area is a producer of fruit, such as apples, apricots and peaches,[9] with extensive orchards in Zaiwalat.[3]

Landmarks

The main school is Zaiwalat High School.

Notable people
  • Haji Mosa Hotak (born 1954) former Mujahedin commander[10]
  • Qari Sayed Agha (died 2019) - a Taliban commander of the Haqqani terrorist network, from Zaiwalat.[1]

References
  1. "One Land, Two Rules (9): Delivering public services in insurgency-affected Jalrez district of Wardak province". Afghan Analysts Network. 16 December 2019. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  2. "Zaywalāyat". GeoNames. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  3. "Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates". United States Congress. p. 3084.
  4. "Johann Hari: Obama's secret prisons in Afghanistan endanger us all". The Independent. 12 February 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  5. "America's Secret Afghan Prisons". The Nation. Global Policy Form. 28 January 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  6. "AFGHANISTAN: US Night Raids and Secret Prisons Anger Civilians". Inter Press Service. 29 January 2010. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  7. "Zaiwalat bridge". Tendertiger.com. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  8. "Taliban free 11 kidnapped passengers in swap". Pajhwok Afghan News. 27 October 2016. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  9. Database of ngo activities - Afghanistan Digital Collections, Afghandata.org, Retrieved 30 April 2020.
  10. "Hotak, Musa Khan Mosa Haji". afghan-bio.info. Retrieved 30 April 2020.
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