Asmar, Afghanistan

Asmar (اسمار) is a river valley and a town in the northeastern Kunar province of Afghanistan, which serves as the district center of Bar Kunar district. The Kunar River flows in the valley.

History
The area was likely once a distant part of the ancient Gandhara. It was claimed by the Kushans, Ghaznavids, Ghorids, Mughals and others before being conquered by Nader Shah and Ahmad Shah Durrani in 1738. Forces of British India unsuccessfully attempted to take it from Afghan Emir Abdur Rahman Khan in the 19th century.

Anglo-Afghan War of 1919
During the 1919 Afghan War of Independence the area was part of the Chatral front of the war where the tribes of the area were led to victory over the British Empire and its Raj Subjects by Ghazi Mir Zaman Khan.

Soviet-Afghan War
During the 1980s Soviet war in Afghanistan, the Afghan mojahiddin forces used Asmar as one of their escape routes to neighboring Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan. It was recently occupied by the NATO forces, mainly by the United States Armed Forces. After their withdrawal from the country, the area returned to the control of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan.

Demographics
The exact population of Asmār is unknown. But according to the GeoNames geographical database, the total population is around 15,708 people. Most of them are ordinary farmers and laborers. Agriculture is their main source of income.

Ethnic groups
The inhabitants of Asmar are overwhelmingly ethnic Pashtuns, with a very small population of Nuristanis. The Pashtun tribes living in Asmar include the following:
 * Ul-Mulk
 * Mamund
 * Salarzi
 * Sharzai, also known as Sharbikhel
 * Shinwari

Notable people

 * Aslam Khan Asmari, a historical tribal leader of Sharzis