Chapter 10 - Khanashin Castle

About 2000 years ago Afghanistan was at the center of civilizations, between the empires of India, Persia, and Central Asia. After defeating the Achaemenid empire in 330 BC, Alexander invaded Afghanistan. During his era various fortresses were built in southern and northern Afghanistan. Khanashin Castle may be one of those fortresses. It is also believed that Khanashin Castle was a Caravan Sarai, used to accommodate traders and their convoys, travelling on the ancient trade route. Helmand province has a long border with Pakistan through Chagai hills and Registan desert. Helmand province also provides a route to Iran through Nimroz province and still it is a popular route for seasonal migration to Iran. Every year at the start of winter, dozens of pickups carrying seasonal workers to Iran were passing through Khanashin.

Khanashin Castle is a mud structure. Roofs and walls are built with uncooked mud bricks. All the original structures inside the Castle are now gone. Only thick mud boundary walls with the remnants of sentry posts are still standing. These walls are so thick that one can easily run on them. Only the Castle Mosque which is located at the south end of the Castle was repaired in 2012 is in good shape. There was also an old bazaar next to the castle which was demolished in 2011 by the Khanashin Municipality and is replaced with a new bazaar. Before the Soviet invasion, a hospital was built inside the castle. Still a few hospital rooms, riddled with bullets and blackened with smoke, are standing inside the castle.

During 40 years of fighting between various rival groups, the control of the Castle was always considered crucial to gain the control of Khanashin. During July 2009, the operation "Khanjar", launched by Afghan National Security Forces and International Security Assistance Forces, the emphasis was also to capture the Castle first.

During the presence of ISAF, the District Governor office and Police Headquarters were inside the castle. The district governor’s residence was also constructed inside the castle. A US Marines base "COP Castle" was also established inside the Castle which was closed in 2013. Khanashin Castle is still the only significant building in the area and was always the headquarters of the ruling group. However, no one has paid any attention to repairing and restoring the dignity of the castle. These were the Castle's walls which witnessed about 2000 years of Khanashin history and sustained bullets and mortar rounds during various fights, but now these walls are at the verge of collapse. After a few years we may not be left with any standing structure of the Castle to tell our children about a chapter of glorious history of Khanashin specifically and Afghanistan in general.