Khost rebellion (1912)
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| Khost rebellion (1912) | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 Emirate of Afghanistan |
Rebel tribes | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Jehandad Khan | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
4,000 regulars[7] 18,000 tribesmen[7] | Unknown | ||||||
The Khost rebellion was a rebellion in Khost that took place in 1912 in the Emirate of Afghanistan, and was the only serious crisis during the reign of Habibullah Khan.[8]
Its causes laid in the "rapacity and exactions"[8] of Muhammad Akbar Khan, the local governor of the Khost district.[2] The rebellion, which was led by Jehandad Khan,[2] began on 2 May 1912,[note 1] when Mangal and Jadran tribesmen in Khost, Afghanistan rose up,[1] quickly overwhelmed various isolated garrisons,[2] and besieged Muhammad Akbar at Matun.[1] Later that month, they were joined by the Ghilzai.[8] Understanding the danger posed by the revolt, Habibullah sent Muhammad Nadir Khan to quell the rebellion.[2] Alongside regular infantry, Nadir was also aided by Tajik levies who were unlikely to show any sympathy to the rebels.[2] In the British Raj, tribesmen of the Kurram District were restricted from entering Afghanistan to aid the revolt.[3]
Muhammad Akbar eventually managed to break out of his besieged fort.[2] By the end of May, Nadir had forced the rebels to sue for peace, and Jehandad Khan had fled to the British Raj, where he unsuccessfully lobbied for a British intervention.[2] On 13 June, the rebellion was reported to be subsiding,[1] and peace negotiations were going on in that same month.[2] However, peace negotiations broke down, and in June 1912 fighting resumed.[2] It ended on 14 August 1912,[note 2] when the rebels surrendered after concessions were unexpectedly given by Afghan authorities,[8] which included the replacement of Muhammad Akbar Khan by a new governor,[2] Dost Muhammad.[9] Habibullah's decision to show clemency to the rebels laid in a desire to conciliate enemies inherited from his predecessors, and the understanding that his acceptance of western ideas and encouragement of modern technical improvements had undermined his own popularity.[8]