Battle of Peiwar Kotal

Overview

The Battle of Peiwar Kotal was fought on 2 December 1878 between British forces under Major General Frederick Roberts and Afghan forces under Karim Khan, during the opening stages of the Second Anglo-Afghan War. The British were victorious, and seized the strategic Peiwar Kotal Pass leading into the interior of Afghanistan.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Battle of Peiwar Kotal was an early engagement of the Second Anglo-Afghan War, fought between British forces under Major General Frederick Roberts and Afghan forces under Karim Khan. The British victory secured the Peiwar Kotal Pass, a strategic route into the Afghan interior, opening the way for further British operations deeper into Afghanistan during the opening stages of the war. Afghan casualties were recorded at approximately 200, while the British force of roughly 3,000 men overcame an Afghan contingent estimated between 4,000 and 5,000. The seizure of the pass marked a significant early success for the British, establishing Roberts as an effective field commander in the campaign.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)