Aykol

Aykol Township (Uyghur: ئايكۆل يىزىسى, Айкол; also Ayikule; ) is a township in Poskam County (Zepu County) in the Kashgar Prefecture of Xinjiang, in northwestern China. Located 5.5 km west of the main office of Poskam County Office, it lies on the southern bank of the Yarkand River.

History
In 1961, Aykol Commune (阿依库勒公社) was established.

In 1984, Aykol Commune became Aykol Township.

In August 2013, at the end of Ramadan, violence erupted in Aykol.

On April 15, 2019, a farming cooperative was established in Bashösteng (Bashiwusitang).

Administrative Divisions
Aykol includes fourteen villages and 69 village committees:
 * Ittipaq (Tuanjie; ئىتتىپاق كەنتى / )
 * Pichanchi (Piqiangqi; پىچانچى كەنتى / ) 38.21903°N, 77.24301°W
 * Qutay (Kutayi; قۇتاي كەنتى / ) 38.2049°N, 77.2052°W
 * Paxtichi (Paheteqi; پاختىچى كەنتى / ) 38.18821°N, 77.19291°W
 * Zerepshan (Zelepushan; زەرەپشان كەنتى / )
 * Bashösteng (Bashiwusitang; باش ئۆستەڭ كەنتى / )
 * Töwenghongrat (Tuowanwengrete; تۆۋەن غوڭرات كەنتى / )
 * Talqichi (Talekeqi; تالقىچى كەنتى / ) 38.16685°N, 77.13436°W
 * Yuqirighongrat (Bashiwengrete; يۇقىرى غوڭرات كەنتى / )
 * Nurbagh (Nu'erbage; نۇرباغ كەنتى / )
 * Küybagh (Kuyibage; كۈيباغ كەنتى / ) 38.16477°N, 77.17726°W
 * Chinarliq (Qina'erleke; چىنارلىق كەنتى / )
 * Ayköl (Ayikule; ئايكۆل كەنتى / ) 38.17139°N, 77.21648°W
 * Aydingköl (Ayidingkule; ئايدىڭكۆل كەنتى / )

As of 2009, the villages of Aykol were: (Mandarin Chinese pinyin-derived names)
 * Xiawuqituoma (下乌其托玛村), Piqiangqi (皮羌其村), Kutayi (库塔依村), Paheteqi (帕合特其村), Wulukeming (乌鲁克明村), Xiayidan (夏依旦村), Xiawengrete (下翁热特村), Talekeqi (塔勒克其村), Shangwengrete (上翁热特村), Ahetaqi (阿合塔其村), Kuiyibage (奎依巴格村), Shangkulegan (上库勒干村), Ayikule (阿依库勒村), Wuqituoma (乌其托玛村)

Economy
A typical farming township, Aykol has an area of 3.65 million mu of cultivated land and is a major producer of grain, such as rice, wheat and corn, cotton, fruits and medicinal herbs.

In 2018, the township cultivated 12,000 mu of jujubes with an average of above 450 jin produced per mu.

Demographics
As of 1997, the population of Aykol was 75.8% Uyghur.