The Legend Of The Afghan Giants: Myth Or Reality?

Afghanistan has been the setting for many fantastical stories, one of the most intriguing being the existence of giants. The Giant of Kandahar is a tale that has captured the imaginations of many, with claims that a giant over 12 feet tall was encountered and killed by US soldiers in the country's remote mountains. This story has all the elements of a thrilling conspiracy, including allegations of government cover-ups and connections to ancient mythology. While some dismiss it as a hoax, others find it difficult to ignore the numerous accounts of similar encounters. The idea of giants in Afghanistan is not new, with references in religious texts and local folklore, but the modern-day sightings reported by military personnel add a fascinating twist to the age-old legend.

The Giant of Kandahar

In 2002, a group of American soldiers allegedly encountered a giant in the remote mountains of Kandahar, Afghanistan. The soldiers, a special ops task force, had been sent to find a missing squad. They followed a trail to a large cave, where they found pieces of broken US military equipment.

Suddenly, a humanoid creature, estimated to be 12-15 feet tall, emerged from the cave. It had flaming red hair, six fingers on each hand, and two rows of teeth. The giant impaled and killed one of the soldiers with a spear. The rest of the squad opened fire, and it took a full 30 seconds of continuous fire to finally bring the giant down.

The soldiers claimed that the giant's body was airlifted to their base by helicopter, and then transported away by aircraft, never to be seen again. They were made to sign non-disclosure agreements, but one soldier broke his silence, stating that "people have the right to know what's happening on our planet".

The story, which has been doing the rounds since 2016, is believed to have been created or heavily influenced by L.A. Marzulli, an author, blogger, and filmmaker. It gained traction when Marzulli posted an episode about the giant on his YouTube series, Watchers, in which he claimed to interview an anonymous soldier who witnessed the incident.

The US Department of Defense has denied any knowledge of the incident, and no official records exist. However, the story has persisted, with some believing it to be a cover-up, and others seeing it as evidence of fallen angels or biblical Nephilim.

Ancient Tales of Giants

The idea of giants is not new, with stories of giant beasts appearing in Greek and Norse mythology, as well as the Bible and the Quran. In ancient times, the existence of giants was often used to explain the presence of large fossil remains, such as mammoth or elephant skulls.

Today, the tale of the Giant of Kandahar continues to captivate imaginations, blurring the lines between myth and reality.

US soldiers and giants

The Giant of Kandahar

In 2016, several conspiracy-oriented websites and personalities claimed that a giant was killed by US soldiers in Afghanistan in 2002. This giant, dubbed the "Giant of Kandahar", was said to be a 12-foot-tall, 1,100-pound creature with flaming red hair, six fingers, and two sets of teeth. According to these sources, the giant emerged from a cave and killed a US soldier with a spear before being shot and killed by the remaining troops. The giant's body was then taken away and never seen again.

The US Department of Defense has denied these claims, stating that they have no record of such an incident. Despite this, the story has persisted and even gained mainstream attention, with some believing it to be a government cover-up.

Other Giant Sightings by US Soldiers

In addition to the Giant of Kandahar, there have been other reports of giant sightings by US soldiers in Afghanistan. These include:

• The Giant of Kunar: An infantry team leader reported seeing a massive heat signature that stood up and moved with incredible speed. He believed it to be a giant, possibly a Sasquatch or a member of an ancient race of giants descended from fallen angels.
• Three 12-foot-tall giants spotted by an Air Force drone operator in northern Afghanistan.
• A giant estimated to be 12-14 feet tall spotted by an Australian army officer on sentry duty in Uruzgan province.
• A giant that made other men look like children, spotted by an airman in the Korengal Valley.

While these stories may seem far-fetched, they have captured the imaginations of many and continue to circulate, even among those who served in Afghanistan.

Giants in Afghan mythology

In Afghan folklore, there are tales of giants, specifically the Kandahar Giant, a mythical 13-foot-tall monster with flaming red hair, six fingers on each hand, and two sets of teeth. This mythical creature is said to inhabit the mountains of Afghanistan and has been the subject of various stories and conspiracy theories.

The Giant of Kandahar

The Giant of Kandahar is a creature from Afghan folklore that has been described as a "Biblical cryptid" or a Nephilim, a group of people mentioned in the Book of Genesis and Numbers in the Old Testament, known for their unusually large size and strength. The Giant of Kandahar is said to stand at an impressive 12 to 15 feet tall, with a shock of red hair, six fingers on each hand, and two rows of teeth. The legend states that the giant was encountered and killed by a group of American soldiers in a mountain cave in Kandahar, Afghanistan, in 2002.

The Legend

According to the legend, a group of American soldiers went missing in the remote mountains of Kandahar in 2002. A special ops unit was sent to investigate and stumbled upon a cave with scattered military equipment but no sign of the missing soldiers. As they approached the cave, they encountered the towering figure of the Kandahar Giant, who impaled one of the soldiers with a giant spear. The rest of the unit opened fire, ultimately killing the giant with 30 seconds of sustained gunfire. The soldiers then loaded the giant's corpse onto a helicopter, and it was never seen again. The soldiers were reportedly made to sign non-disclosure agreements to keep the incident under wraps.

Conspiracy Theories

The story of the Kandahar Giant has fuelled various conspiracy theories, with some believing that the government is covering up the existence of giants or other supernatural beings. L.A. Marzulli, an author, blogger, and filmmaker, has been a prominent figure in promoting the conspiracy, claiming that the giant was a Nephilim and that the government is hiding the truth about Biblical prophecies. However, the Department of Defense has denied any knowledge of such an incident, and there is no official record of a soldier being killed by a giant in Kandahar.

Cultural Significance

While the Kandahar Giant may be a mythical creature, its story has become a part of Afghan folklore and popular culture. It reflects a long tradition of giant-related myths and legends, such as those found in Greek and Norse folklore. The giant is often portrayed as a villain or antagonist, similar to the giant in "Jack and the Beanstalk". However, in Afghan culture, the giant has taken on a life of its own, with stories and encounters shared by soldiers and locals alike, becoming a part of the country's oral tradition.

Giants in the Quran

The Quran and Islamic tradition contain several references to giants, including the Prophet Adam, who is described as having been created with a immense height of sixty cubits (approximately 30 metres or 90 feet). This belief is supported by several authentic ahadith, including Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim. According to these narrations, Adam's towering stature served as the prototype for all future humans, who would gradually decrease in size over generations. This belief is further reinforced by similar accounts in the Bible, which speaks of the "Nephilim," and various other religious and mythological traditions worldwide.

However, the idea of giants in the Quranic context extends beyond Prophet Adam. The 'Ad, for instance, were a nation of giants mentioned in the Quran. They are described as boasting about their strength and might: "Who is mightier than us in strength?" (Quran 41:15). The Quran recounts how the Prophet Hud admonished them to fear God and be righteous. Interestingly, for a long time, the story of Iram, the city of the 'Ad, was considered a fable or an 'Atlantis of the Sands' by historians. That changed in 1973 when the ancient city of Ebla was discovered in northern Syria, containing records of trade with a place called 'Iram.' Using satellite images, archaeologists identified the ruins of a city matching the Quranic description of Iram deep beneath the Omani desert.

The Quran also mentions other giants, such as the People of Thamud, who were destroyed by a sonic blast, and the People of Saba' (Sheba), whose once-prosperous civilization was drowned in a devastating flood due to their idolatrous ways.

While the Quran and Islamic tradition provide clear accounts of giants, some scholars and commentators have grappled with reconciling these accounts with archaeological findings and measurable data. For example, Ibn Hajar al-Asqalani, a 15th-century hadith scholar, questioned the hadith about Prophet Adam's height by noting that the archaeological remains of ancient nations like Thamud did not indicate exceptionally tall people. He acknowledged the challenge posed by this discrepancy but did not reject the hadith outright. This demonstrates the Islamic tradition's openness to critical examination and interpretation.

Giants in the Bible

The Bible mentions giants several times, notably in the Book of Genesis, where they are called the Nephilim. The Nephilim were the offspring of the "sons of God" and the "daughters of men". They were described as "very great, and men of renown".

The Bible also mentions giants in the Book of Numbers, where the Israelites encountered the Anakim, a tribe of giants who lived in the land of Canaan. The Anakim were so tall that the Israelites were afraid of them, saying, "We are like grasshoppers in their sight".

Other giants mentioned in the Bible include Og, king of Bashan, Goliath, and the Anakites.

The Bible’s references to giants have led some to seek further evidence of their existence. However, it is important to note that the giants of the Bible were not the giants of myth—forty-foot colossi who sat on houses. Instead, they were tall, powerful, and bigger than average, but still human.

While there is no proof of skeletal remains or fossils of giants, and no hard evidence of giant-sized utensils, weapons, or other gear, there are written accounts outside of the Bible that mention giants. These include the Book of Enoch, the Book of Jasher, and the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus.

The debate surrounding the exact nature and identity of the Nephilim continues, with various interpretations and theories existing among scholars and theologians.

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