A British-led column defeated a vastly larger Afghan force near Ghazni, securing the march from Kandahar to Kabul during the Second Anglo-Afghan War.
Key Facts
- Date
- 19 April 1880
- British-led force size
- 7,200 troops
- Afghan tribesmen strength
- 12,000–15,000
- Afghan casualties (killed)
- 2,000–3,000
- British/Indian dead
- 17 killed, 124 wounded
- Distance from Ghazni
- 23 miles (37 km)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
In late March 1880, Lieutenant General Donald Stewart departed Kandahar with 7,200 men to reinforce General Roberts in Kabul. The march through largely deserted terrain was shadowed by a growing concentration of Afghan tribesmen, who massed along the hills near the village of Ahmed Khel, about 23 miles from Ghazni, threatening the column's flank.
On 19 April 1880, as Stewart began repositioning his troops to counter the threat, a force of 12,000 to 15,000 Afghan tribesmen charged over the hills. The British-led force struggled to hold their line but ultimately repulsed the attack. After roughly an hour of fierce fighting, the tribesmen fled, suffering an estimated 2,000 to 3,000 killed against British and Indian losses of 17 dead and 124 wounded.
Following the battle, Stewart occupied Ghazni the next day and continued to Kabul without significant further resistance. The victory strengthened the British position in Afghanistan; General Roberts ordered a Royal salute fired in Kabul to announce the win and calm local tensions. The battle effectively secured the central Afghan corridor for British operations.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Lieutenant General Donald Stewart.
Side B
1 belligerent