Afghanistan Peace CampaignThe military forces of British India were mobilized, and Jalalabad and Kabul were subsequently bombed.
On 12 Saur 1298, a decisive battle against Britain began from the provinces of Nangarhar, Paktia and Kandahar. Although the king’s soldiers at the time had limited military equipment, their desire for freedom and the people’s determination to break free from British influence gave them a force greater than weapons.
The Afghan army had only 50,000 soldiers and counted on the support of 80,000 irregular tribal fighters in the border areas between Afghanistan and British India.
Khalil Ahmad Nadem, a political analyst, said: “The people of Afghanistan are both Muslims and patriots. With the resources available to them and their motivation for freedom, they stood against the foreigners.”
World War I had ended, and King Amanullah, relying on the will of the people, set out to secure Afghanistan’s freedom. Three days after the fighting began, on 15 Saur, Britain also declared war on Afghanistan.
The military forces of British India were mobilized, and Jalalabad and Kabul were subsequently bombed.
The war between Afghanistan and Britain lasted nearly a month. Also known as the War of Independence, it was the last major battle between Afghanistan and Britain at the time—a conflict that ultimately moved to the diplomatic table.
On 12 Jawza 1298, a ceasefire was proposed, and an Afghan delegation led by Ali Ahmad Khan and a British delegation represented by Hamilton Grant entered negotiations in Rawalpindi.
After weeks of negotiations, the Treaty of Rawalpindi was signed on 17 Asad 1298, marking an important step toward Afghanistan’s independence.
Sayed Ebadullah Sadiq, a political analyst, said: “The British objective, first, was to occupy Afghanistan. Their second objective was to use Afghanistan’s resources and benefit from the country’s geopolitical position.”
But this was not the end of the process. On 1 Qaws 1300, another agreement was signed between Afghanistan and Britain in Kabul, consolidating Afghanistan’s internal and external independence and strengthening its position as an independent country in international relations. Britain also recognized Afghanistan’s independence.
Nearly 1,000 Afghan soldiers and 236 British soldiers were killed in the war, while thousands of soldiers on both sides were wounded.