Exploring Afghanistan's Cave Systems: A Complex Underground Network

Afghanistan is home to thousands of caves, both natural and man-made. The Hindu Kush mountains are dotted with caves formed by melting snow eroding limestone. In the sandstone foothills of the southeast, tunnels have been carved by everyone from farmers to warriors, and the country also boasts an underground warren of caves and tunnels built during the war with the Soviets in the 1980s. Afghanistan's populated plains have an arid climate, and farmers have historically built tunnels called karez to transport water from the mountains to their crops. These tunnels can burrow over 100 feet into the earth and stretch for more than a mile.

Afghanistan's terrain is honeycombed with natural caverns and man-made tunnels

In the sandstone foothills of southeastern Afghanistan, tunnels have been dug by everyone from warriors to farmers. These tunnels have served as hiding places in times of conflict and as irrigation systems during drier periods. Some of the tunnels, known as karez, were built specifically for water transport from the mountains to crops in the plains below. These karez can burrow up to 100 feet into the earth and stretch for over a mile, with ventilation shafts every 100 to 200 feet.

Afghanistan's cave systems also include man-made caves dug deep into the granite bedrock. These caves were created during various conflicts, including the war with the Soviets in the 1980s. This network of caves and tunnels is connected by crisscrossing passageways and equipped with escape routes. Some of the larger caves could accommodate vehicles, such as trucks and tanks, and even a fighter jet.

The Tora Bora cave complex, part of the Spin Ghar mountain range in eastern Afghanistan, is a notable example of a CIA-financed cave system. Tora Bora, which means "Black Cave" in Pashto, was a stronghold of the Afghan mujahideen and was used against the Soviet Union during the 1980s. It has been described as an "impregnable cave fortress," with various amenities and sophisticated tunnel systems. Despite these claims, when US and Afghan troops captured Tora Bora, they found a network of small natural caves housing no more than 200 fighters, contrary to the expected "fortress."

The Tora Bora cave complex was a stronghold of the Mujahideen, Taliban and Al-Qaeda

Afghanistan's terrain is honeycombed with thousands of natural caverns and man-made tunnels. The Tora Bora cave complex, also known as Spion Ghar, is located in the Spin Ghar (White Mountains) mountain range in the country's east. The complex was initially a series of natural caverns formed by streams eating into the limestone, which were later expanded into a CIA-financed complex built for the Mujahideen following the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

The Tora Bora cave complex was a stronghold of the Mujahideen, Taliban, and Al-Qaeda at different times. During the Soviet-Afghan War in the 1980s, the Mujahideen used the Tora Bora caves as a base to launch military operations against the Soviet Union. The Tora Bora caves were known to be a stronghold location of the Mujahideen, and the Soviets conducted several operations to capture the complex.

Following the events of September 11, 2001, the Tora Bora caves once again became prominent as a suspected hideout of Osama bin Laden, the leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization. The caves were believed to be a stronghold of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, and the US-led coalition forces launched an assault on the complex in December 2001, known as the Battle of Tora Bora. The primary goal of the operation was to capture or kill Osama bin Laden.

The Tora Bora cave complex was eventually captured by US and Afghan troops, but no traces of the supposed "fortress" were found. It turned out that Tora Bora was a system of small natural caves housing, at most, 200 fighters. While arms and ammunition stores were found, there were no advanced facilities as claimed by the Western media.

The Tora Bora cave complex later fell into the hands of the Taliban and served as an important base for the Taliban insurgency. In 2017, the complex was captured by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant – Khorasan Province (ISIL-K) but was soon recaptured by the Afghan National Army.

Some caves are large enough to drive a truck into or house a few tanks and a fighter jet

Afghanistan is home to thousands of caves, both natural and man-made. The Hindu Kush mountains, in particular, are pockmarked with caves that have been naturally formed by melting snow eating into the limestone.

Some of these caves are absolutely massive. Tora Bora, for instance, is a cave complex in the Spin Ghar mountain range of eastern Afghanistan. It has roads large enough to drive a tank into and is sophisticated enough to have its own tunnel and ventilation systems. Tora Bora was also large enough to serve as a CIA-financed stronghold for the Mujahideen during the Soviet-Afghan War. It was used as a supply base and defensive position, housing 2,000 men, a hospital, a hydroelectric power plant, offices, a hotel, and arms and ammunition stores.

Another example of a massive cave in Afghanistan is the Kakrak Valley Caves, located about 3 km southeast of the Bamiyan Cliffs. There are over 100 caves in this complex, dating from the 6th to 13th centuries.

The sheer size of some of these caves makes them ideal hiding places for fighters and ammunition. Milt Bearden, a former CIA agent who operated in Afghanistan during the Soviet invasion, noted that these large caves could easily accommodate trucks, tanks, and even fighter jets.

Ancient caves are being used as shelter by displaced Afghans

Afghanistan's terrain is honeycombed with thousands of natural caverns and man-made tunnels. The country's ancient caves, which were once used for meditation and religious purposes, have become a shelter for displaced Afghans.

In the Bamiyan Valley, nestled among the Hindu Kush mountains, ancient caves form a large ensemble of Buddhist monasteries, chapels, and sanctuaries. These caves, dating back to the 3rd to 5th centuries CE, were carved by monks and have now become home to hundreds of Afghan families. The region, predominantly inhabited by the ethnic Hazara community, faced brutal treatment by the Taliban in the 1990s, with homes being razed and the giant Buddha statues destroyed.

Many families lost their homes and returned to find nowhere to go, thus seeking shelter in the ancient caves. The caves provide a basic lifestyle, with some modifications made using wood and mud bricks. The cave dwellers face challenges such as a lack of education for their children and the constant fear of a resurgent Taliban.

In the village of Mulayan, located in the Bamiyan Valley, families have also resorted to living in centuries-old caves. The village was sacked by the Taliban, leaving residents too poor to rebuild their homes. The caves, likely hollowed out by Buddhist monks, now serve as living quarters, with pipes for fumes and whitewashed walls for the village mosque.

The harsh winters in Bamiyan, a mountainous region in central Afghanistan, have further exacerbated the struggles of displaced families. With the economic freefall and skyrocketing food prices, some families have had to take out loans or borrow from neighbours to survive.

The situation in Bamiyan presents a dilemma for local authorities, as the ancient caves are part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Efforts are being made to find new homes for the displaced families, with the UNHCR working to provide solutions and the local government seeking support from Kabul.

Some caves were used as command bunkers for Afghan resistance fighters

Afghanistan's terrain is rugged and honeycombed with natural caverns and man-made tunnels. The Hindu Kush mountains are dotted with caves that have been formed by melting snow eroding limestone. In the southeastern part of the country, tunnels have been carved into the sandstone foothills and provide ideal hiding places for fighters and ammunition.

Some of these caves were dug deep into the granite bedrock during the war with the Soviets in the 1980s. This network of caves and tunnels was used as command bunkers for Afghan resistance fighters. These underground warrens are connected by crisscrossing passageways and are equipped with escape tunnels. Some of these caves are large enough to drive a truck into or to house several tanks and a fighter jet.

The Tora Bora cave complex, for example, was a CIA-financed stronghold of the Mujahideen, used as a military base against the Soviet Union during the 1980s. It was later used by the Taliban and Al-Qaeda as a stronghold during the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. Osama bin Laden, the leader of Al-Qaeda, was suspected to be hiding in Tora Bora or in one of the many other cave complexes in Afghanistan.

The caves were built during the war with the Soviets (1979-89) as command bunkers for Afghan resistance fighters. Bin Laden, an engineer and heir to a Saudi construction fortune, built some of them himself, while others were financed by the CIA, which provided aid to the Mujahideen.

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