# Arg, Kabul

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The **Arg**[a] is the [presidential palace](/source/Presidential_palace)[1] of [Afghanistan](/source/Afghanistan), located in [Kabul](/source/Kabul). Since [the 2021 abolition](/source/Fall_of_Kabul_(2021)) of the [Afghan presidency](/source/President_of_Afghanistan) by the [Taliban](/source/Taliban), it has served as the meeting place of the [Cabinet of Afghanistan](/source/Cabinet_of_Afghanistan). The palace sits on a 34-hectare (83-acre) site in [District 2](/source/Districts_of_Afghanistan), between [Deh Afghanan](/source/Deh_Afghanan) and the affluent neighbourhood of [Wazir Akbar Khan](/source/Wazir_Akbar_Khan,_Kabul); it has historically been used by many [Afghan heads of state](/source/List_of_heads_of_state_of_Afghanistan), from [Abdur Rahman Khan](/source/Abdur_Rahman_Khan) (who laid its foundation) to [Ashraf Ghani](/source/Ashraf_Ghani).

It was built after the destruction of the [Bala Hissar](/source/Bala_Hissar,_Kabul) in 1880.

## History

The foundation of the Arg was laid by [Emir](/source/Emir_of_Afghanistan) [Abdur Rahman Khan](/source/Abdur_Rahman_Khan) in 1880 after assuming the throne.[2] It was designed as a castle with a water-filled trench around it. Abdur Rahman Khan named it *Arg-e-Shahi* (Citadel of the King) and included, among other buildings, a residence for his family, an [Afghan Army](/source/Afghan_Army) barracks, and the national treasury. Previously, the [Bala Hissar](/source/Bala_Hissar,_Kabul) served as the citadel or the headquarters of the emirs until it was destroyed by the [Frontier Force Regiment](/source/Frontier_Force_Regiment) during the [Second Anglo-Afghan War](/source/Second_Anglo-Afghan_War) (1878–80).

The Arg has served as the royal and presidential palace for all of the kings and [presidents](/source/President_of_Afghanistan) of Afghanistan. [Hafizullah Amin](/source/Hafizullah_Amin) also used [Tajbeg Palace](/source/Tajbeg_Palace) as the residence for his family. It has undergone modifications and revitalization under the different rulers. During the 1978 [Saur Revolution](/source/Saur_Revolution), [Mohammad Daoud Khan](/source/Mohammad_Daoud_Khan) and his family were assassinated by members of the [People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan](/source/People's_Democratic_Party_of_Afghanistan) (PDPA) inside the Gulkhana Palace of the Arg[3]. On 15 August 2021, following the [2021 Taliban offensive](/source/2021_Taliban_offensive) and the [near seizure of the capital](/source/Fall_of_Kabul_(2021)), the [Taliban](/source/Taliban) occupied the Arg after President [Ashraf Ghani](/source/Ashraf_Ghani) fled the country, purportedly for peace and to avoid bloodshed.[4][5] The Taliban has since been using the Arg to hold meetings of the [Cabinet of Afghanistan](/source/Cabinet_of_Afghanistan), except those chaired by the [Supreme Leader](/source/Supreme_Leader_of_Afghanistan), which are held in [Kandahar](/source/Kandahar).[6]

## Construction

The Arg (up to 15 August 2021) consisted of the following:

- The *Gul Khana*, which served as the offices for President [Ashraf Ghani](/source/Ashraf_Ghani) and the President's Protocol Office;
- The Offices of the President's Chief of Staff;
- The National Security Advisor's building; and the Offices of the Spokesperson to the President.
- Offices for the [Afghan National Security Forces](/source/Afghan_National_Security_Forces) (ANSF).
- Building for the Administrative Office of the President.
- Various buildings for receiving delegations or hosting large meetings.

## See also

Other palaces in Kabul:

- [Bagh-e Bala](/source/Bagh-e_Bala_Palace), a former royal palace in Kabul
- [Bala Hissar](/source/Bala_Hissar,_Kabul), an ancient fortress located in the south of the old city of Kabul
- [Darul Aman](/source/Darul_Aman_Palace), former royal palace
- [Tajbeg Palace](/source/Tajbeg_Palace), former royal palace

## Notes

1. * Pashto: ارگ äɾg * prs: ارگ äɾg

## References

1. ["Deputy prime minister visits senior members in Presidential Palace"](https://alemarahenglish.af/?p=51670). *Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan – Voice of Jihad*. 8 May 2022. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20220518184122/https://alemarahenglish.af/?p=51670) 18 May 2022 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 8 May 2022.

1. ["Travel and Tourism"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170629215311/http://afghanistanembassy.org.uk/english/travel-and-tourism/). 5 December 2013. Archived from [the original](http://afghanistanembassy.org.uk/english/travel-and-tourism/) on 29 June 2017. Retrieved 20 April 2022.

1. ["The Gulkhana Palace"](https://arg.gov.af/en/post_details/histories/eyJpdiI6IjJpUWJNZHI2QUwzVnY0cXIxRzFXNUE9PSIsInZhbHVlIjoiNSt5VDA4NWxpNitlbjRFZnQ3d09XZz09IiwibWFjIjoiMjRiMTQyNGRjNzQ0YTZlOTYxZGI1NGQxNmZlZDNjMDI4MTgyMjI5OWRkYjYzMmNhZDMyNWIxNjJjMWVkNTc1OSJ9). *arg.gov.af*. Retrieved 2026-05-31.

1. Mishal Husain, Paul Adams, Malik Mudassir, Ben Wright, Jon Sopel (15 August 2021). [*Taliban seize power in Afghanistan as President flees country*](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y5yCbi4qcpk) (Television production). [London](/source/London): [BBC News](/source/BBC_News). Retrieved 15 August 2021. – via [YouTube](/source/YouTube)

1. ["Afghanistan Taliban Crisis Live Updates: Taliban seize Afghan presidential palace; reports of firing at Kabul airport"](https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/newsblogs/latest-daily-news-and-updates-august-15/liveblog/85340907.cms). *[The Economic Times](/source/The_Economic_Times)*. 2021-06-03. Retrieved 2021-08-16.

1. ["3-Day Cabinet Meeting Held in Kandahar"](https://tolonews.com/afghanistan-177246). *[TOLOnews](/source/TOLOnews)*. 24 March 2022. Retrieved 20 April 2022.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Arg, Kabul](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arg%2C_Kabul) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arg%2C_Kabul?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.