Grishk

{{Short description |Town in Helmand Province, Afghanistan}} {{Infobox settlement   | official_name = Grishk | other_name = | native_name =  | nickname = | settlement_type = City | motto =  | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_caption = | image_flag = | flag_size = | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_size = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | image_map1 = | mapsize1 = | map_caption1 = | image_dot_map = | dot_mapsize = | dot_map_caption = | dot_x = | dot_y = | pushpin_map = Afghanistan  | pushpin_label_position = bottom | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Afghanistan | coordinates = {{coord|31|49|N|64|33|E|region:AF|display=inline}} | elevation_footnotes =  | elevation_m = 817 | elevation_ft =  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Afghanistan}} | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Helmand | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Grishk | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | subdivision_type4 = | subdivision_name4 =  | government_footnotes = | government_type = Municipality | leader_title = Governor | leader_name = | leader_title1 =  | leader_name1 = | leader_title2 = | leader_name2 = | leader_title3 = | leader_name3 = | leader_title4 = | leader_name4 = | established_title =  | established_date = | established_title2 =  | established_date2 = | established_title3 =  | established_date3 =  | area_magnitude = | unit_pref = Imperial  | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 =  | area_land_km2 =  | area_water_km2 = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_percent = | area_urban_km2 = | area_urban_sq_mi = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi = | area_blank1_title = | area_blank1_km2 = | area_blank1_sq_mi =  | population_as_of = 2025 | population_footnotes = <ref name= "population" /> | population_note = | population_total = 146,506 | population_density_km2 = | population_density_sq_mi = | population_metro = | population_density_metro_km2 = | population_density_metro_sq_mi = | population_urban = 12468 | population_density_urban_km2 = | population_density_urban_sq_mi = | population_rural = 134038 | population_density_rural_km2 = | population_density_rural_sq_mi = | population_blank1_title = Ethnicities | population_blank1 = | population_blank2_title = Religions | population_blank2 = | population_density_blank1_km2 = | population_density_blank1_sq_mi =  | timezone = Afghanistan Time | utc_offset = +4:30 | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST =  | postal_code_type =  | postal_code = | area_code = | blank_name = | blank_info = | blank1_name = | blank1_info = | website = | footnotes = }}

'''Grishk'''{{efn|{{ublist|{{langx|ps|ګرشک|Grišk}}, {{IPA|ps|ˈgɾɪʃk|pron}}|{{langx|prs|{{nq|گرشک}}|Girišk}}, {{IPA|prs|gɪˈɾɪʃk|pron}}}}}} is a city in the southern Helmand Province of Afghanistan. It is within the jurisdiction of Grishk District and has an estimated population of 146,506 people.<ref name="population" />

Grishk is at an elevation of approximately {{cvt|817|m}} above sea level. It is located about an hour's drive northeast of Lashkargah where the Kandahar–Herat Highway passes over the Helmand River, some {{cvt|120|km}} northwest of Kandahar and about the same distance southeast of Delaram. Upstream lies the Kajaki Dam which diverts water to the Boghra Irrigation Canal, an essential infrastructure for the region's crops. Grishk Dam is also nearby. The city was originally built around a fort on the east bank of the Helmand River but was later rebuilt on the west.

Grishk has a number of bazaars, business centers, public parks, banks, hotels, restaurants, mosques, hospitals, universities, and places to play sports or relax. As part of Operation Moshtarak the British Army and Afghan workers constructed Route Trident, a road that connects Grishk with the provincial capital of Lashkargah.<ref>{{cite news|publisher=BBC News|title=Progress slow and messy in Afghanistan |url=https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/8483047.stm|access-date=3 September 2010|date=28 January 2010}}</ref> Grishk is also the southern terminus of Route 611. The area is irrigated by the Helmand and Arghandab Valley Authority.<ref name=clapp>[https://web.archive.org/web/20130408130704/http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA518306 (pdf) The Helmand Valley Project in Afghanistan: A.I.D. Evaluation Special Study No. 18] C Clapp-Wicek & E Baldwin, U.S. Agency for International Development, published December 1983</ref>

==Climate== Grishk has a hot desert climate (Köppen ''BWh''), characterised by little precipitation and high variation between summer and winter temperatures. The average temperature in Grishk is {{cvt|19.6|°C}}, while the annual precipitation averages {{cvt|117|mm}}. Summers start in mid-May, last until late-September, and are extremely dry. July is the hottest month of the year with an average temperature of {{cvt|32.2|°C}}. The coldest month January has an average temperature of {{cvt|7.0|°C}}.

{{Weather box | location = Grishk | metric first = Yes | single line = Yes | Jan high C = 14.0 | Feb high C = 16.7 | Mar high C = 23.4 | Apr high C = 28.5 | May high C = 34.9 | Jun high C = 40.1 | Jul high C = 41.3 | Aug high C = 39.6 | Sep high C = 35.1 | Oct high C = 29.2 | Nov high C = 21.6 | Dec high C = 16.0 | Jan mean C = 7.0 | Feb mean C = 9.7 | Mar mean C = 15.7 | Apr mean C = 20.3 | May mean C = 25.9 | Jun mean C = 30.3 | Jul mean C = 32.2 | Aug mean C = 29.9 | Sep mean C = 24.6 | Oct mean C = 18.9 | Nov mean C = 12.3 | Dec mean C = 8.0 | year mean C = | Jan low C = 0.0 | Feb low C = 2.7 | Mar low C = 8.0 | Apr low C = 12.1 | May low C = 16.9 | Jun low C = 20.6 | Jul low C = 23.2 | Aug low C = 20.3 | Sep low C = 14.2 | Oct low C = 8.7 | Nov low C = 3.1 | Dec low C = 0.0 | rain colour = green |source 1 = Climate-Data.org<ref>{{cite web |url = http://en.climate-data.org/location/31368/ |title = Climate: Gereshk - Climate-Data.org |access-date = 9 September 2016}}</ref> }}

==Demographics== {{Further|Demographics of Afghanistan}} Grishk has an estimated population of 146,506 people.<ref name="population">{{cite web |url=https://nsia.gov.af:8443/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/%D8%A8%D8%B1%D8%A7%D9%88%D8%B1%D8%AF-%D9%86%D9%81%D9%88%D8%B3-%DA%A9%D8%B4%D9%88%D8%B1-%D8%B3%D8%A7%D9%84-1404.pdf#page=126 |title=Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2025-26 |page=103 |work=National Statistics and Information Authority |date=September 2025 |access-date=2026-02-06}}</ref> They are primarily Pashtuns followed by Hazaras and Tajiks.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dennys |first=Christian |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=y5ixAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA61 |title=Military Intervention, Stabilisation and Peace: The search for stability |date=2014-05-30 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-317-90833-3 |language=en}}</ref> Grishk was under the control of Noorzai tribe during the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (1996–2001), and Mullah Mir Hamza an ethnic Pashtun from Noorzai tribe was the District governor of Grishk, while Mullah Mahmmad Azam an ethnic Pashtun from Noorzai tribe was the commander of Taliban forces in Grishk.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Dupree |first=Louis |title=Afghanistan |year=1973 |edition=1st |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Adamec |first=Ludwig W. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AAHna6aqtX4C |title=Historical Dictionary of Afghanistan |year=2003 |isbn=978-0810878150 |edition=3rd |language=en |author-link=Ludwig W. Adamec}}</ref>

==Operation Enduring Freedom== {{main article|Operation Enduring Freedom}} In November 2003, an Afghan civilian Abdul Wahed died inside the U.S. Special Forces base in Grishk, after being exposed to torture.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2004/12/13/international/asia/13cnd-afgh.html |title=Rights Group Says U.S. Fails to Investigate Abuses in Afghanistan |publisher=The New York Times |date=December 13, 2004}}</ref> In April 2008 the 2nd Battalion 7th Marines, Echo Co, which was sent there to help support train the Afghan National Police, worked with the Danish and British military.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.marine-corps-news.com/2008/11/hardhit_27_begins_return_from_1.htm |title=Marine Corps News Room: Hard-hit 2/7 begins return from Afghanistan |access-date=2012-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304000404/http://www.marine-corps-news.com/2008/11/hardhit_27_begins_return_from_1.htm |archive-date=2016-03-04 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

On December 4, 2008, two Danish soldiers were killed near Grishk.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20081205-two-danish-soldiers-killed-afghanistan-denmark |title=Two Danish soldiers killed in Afghanistan |publisher=France 24 |date=December 5, 2008 |access-date=2026-02-06}}</ref>

In June 2017, the son of Taliban leader Hibatullah Akhundzada, named Hafiz Abdur-Rahman, committed a suicide attack on Afghan National Security Forces based in the city.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-07-22 |title=Son of Taliban's emir kills himself in suicide attack on Afghan forces {{!}} FDD's Long War Journal |url=https://www.longwarjournal.org/archives/2017/07/son-of-talibans-emir-kills-himself-in-suicide-attack-on-afghan-forces.php |access-date=2022-05-07 |website=www.longwarjournal.org |language=en-US}}</ref>

The city, along with other parts of Helmand province and the whole of Afghanistan, fell to Taliban forces as a result of the 2021 Taliban offensive.

==See also== * List of cities in Afghanistan

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links== *{{YouTube|nniIrNoasgs| ګرشک ولسوالۍ کې د شپنیو څراغونو پروژه بشپړه شوه }}

Category:Populated places in Helmand Province