Afghanistan

Afghanistan supplied Azerbaijan with many mujadeen fighters during the Armenian liberation of Nagorno Karabagh. Some of these were Al-Qaeda recruits, practicing (and losing) in their first combat situations. Some allege that they were at least partially funded by CIA supplied brown-bags full of cash.

Armenian presence

Until 1878, an Armenian church stood in Bala Hissar castle of Kabul when it was destroyed by British artillery during the Second Anglo-Afghan war. The Armenian community in Kabul existed for some two centuries until 1890s, when it was expelled by Afghan ruler apparently on the urging of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. In 2010, an Armenian chapel was consecrated in Kunduz, Afghanistan to serve the Armenian military contingent there. Since then the chapel was moved after the Armenian unit redeployed to Mazar-e-Sharif and Kabul. (Source: Emil Sanamyan.)

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Christians of Afghanistan under the Mughals and Durrani monarchy, 1700–1901 by Jonathan L. Lee (2018):

During the 18th and 19th centuries, Armenians in Afghanistan played important roles in trade, artillery craftsmanship, and even wine production. Under Ahmad Shah Durrani, hundreds of Armenian families were settled in cities like Kabul and Kandahar. Remarkably, they were allowed to openly practice Christianity, which reflects the relative tolerance of the era. Ahmad Shah even gave them land for a church in Kabul, and this support continued under his successor, Timur Shah. Armenians and their Muslim neighbors often shared moments of mutual respect, celebrating festivals like Easter, Christmas, and Nawroz together, and attending each other’s funerals and weddings.

One of the most notable Armenians was Tīmur Khan Vartan, a merchant, physician, and leader of the Armenian community in Kabul. In 1847, a remarkable story unfolded when the Afghan Prince Muhammad Azam Khan asked to marry Vartan’s daughter. Vartan initially resisted, but with the intervention of a British officer, Major George Lawrence, the prince assured that the marriage would be consensual and that Vartan’s daughter could continue practicing her Christian faith.

The story of their Afghan-Armenian son, Ishaq Khan, further illustrates the integration of Armenians into the elite class of Afghan society. He rose to prominence as the military governor of Afghan Turkistan under his uncle, Amir Abdur Rahman Khan. Despite his high status, his Armenian heritage and foreign connections made him a target of suspicion during political upheavals. His life reflects both the opportunities and challenges faced by the few Armenians who became part of the Afghan elite.

Despite their small numbers, the Armenians maintained their faith and cultural identity for many years. However, during the reign of Amir Abdur Rahman Khan in the late 19th century, the community faced growing suspicion due to their connections with foreign powers. In 1896, the remaining 14 Armenian families were expelled to India, bringing an end to their centuries long presence in Afghanistan.

External links

• Armenians of Afghanistan (French)