Taloqan

{{pp-pc|small=yes}} {{Short description|City in Takhar province, Afghanistan}} {{About|city in Afghanistan||Taleqan (disambiguation)|and|Talokan (disambiguation)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox settlement   | name = Taloqan | native_name = {{nq|تالقان}} | native_name_lang = prs | settlement_type = Provincial capital | image_flag = | image_skyline = Gouverneurssitz Taloqan.JPG | flag_size = | image_caption = Takhar governor's office in Taloqan | image_seal = | seal_size = | image_shield = | shield_size = | image_blank_emblem = | blank_emblem_type = | blank_emblem_size = | image_map = | mapsize = | map_caption = | pushpin_map = Afghanistan | pushpin_label_position = above | pushpin_mapsize = | pushpin_map_caption = Location in Afghanistan  | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_name = {{flag|Afghanistan}} | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Takhar | subdivision_type2 = District | subdivision_name2 = Taloqan | subdivision_type3 = | subdivision_name3 = | government_footnotes = | government_type = Municipality | leader_title = Governor | leader_name = | established_title = | established_date =  | area_magnitude = | unit_pref = | area_footnotes = <ref name="land area" /> | area_total_km2 = | area_land_km2 = 107 | area_water_km2 = | area_total_sq_mi = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_percent = | area_metro_km2 = | area_metro_sq_mi =  | population_as_of = 2025 | population_footnotes = <ref name="population" /> | population_note = | population_total = 284990 | population_density_km2 = | population_density_sq_mi = | population_urban = 94438 | population_density_urban_km2 = | population_density_urban_sq_mi = | population_rural = 190552 | population_density_rural_km2 = | population_density_rural_sq_mi =  | timezone = Afghanistan Time | utc_offset = +04:30 | timezone_DST = | utc_offset_DST = | coordinates = {{coord|36|43|N|69|31|E|region:AF|display=inline,title}} | elevation_footnotes = <ref name="elevation" /> | elevation_m = 876 | elevation_ft =  | postal_code_type =  | postal_code = | area_code = | geocode = | iso_code = AF-TQN | blank1_name = | blank1_info = | website = | footnotes = | official_name = }}

'''Taloqan''',{{efn|{{bulleted list|{{langx|ps|تالقان|Tāluqān}} {{IPA|ps|t̪ɑ.lu.kɑn|}}|{{langx|prs|تالقان|Tāluqān}} {{IPA|prs|t̪ʰɑː.lʊ́'qɑ́ːn|}}}}}} also written as '''Taleqan''' or '''Taluqan''',<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ariananews.af/gas-poisoning-kills-three-in-takhar/ |title=Gas poisoning kills three in Takhar |work=Ariana News |date=February 13, 2024 |access-date=2025-12-28}}</ref> is a city in northern Afghanistan, serving as the capital of Takhar Province.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://tolonews.com/afghanistan/provincial-193163 |title=Investments in High-Rise Construction in Taloqan Increase |work=TOLOnews |date=22 February 2025 |access-date=2025-12-28}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.ariananews.af/awcc-opens-another-customer-services-center-in-takhar/ |title=AWCC opens another customer services center in Takhar |work=Ariana News |date=June 12, 2023 |access-date=2025-12-28}}</ref> It is within the jurisdiction of Taloqan District and has an estimated population of 284,990 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=90 |title=Estimated Population of Afghanistan 2025-26 |page=67 |work=National Statistics and Information Authority |date=September 2025 |access-date=2025-12-28}}</ref> Ethnically, they are Tajiks, Uzbeks, Pashtuns and Hazaras.

Taloqan is home to Takhar University, which is in the northwestern part of the city. The Taloqan Airport is a few miles to the north. The city has a number of bazaars, business centers, public parks, banks, hotels, restaurants, mosques, hospitals, universities, and places to play sports or relax.

Taloqan sits at an altitude of {{cvt|876|m}} above sea level,<ref name="elevation">{{cite web |url=https://unhabitat.org/soac2015_volume2 |title=State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-II) |page=126 |publisher=UN-Habitat |access-date=2025-01-08}}</ref> and has a land area of {{cvt|107|km2}} with 28,691 dwelling units in it.<ref name="land area">{{cite web |url=https://unhabitat.org/soac2015 |title=State of Afghan Cities report 2015 (Volume-I English) |pages=8, 132 |publisher=UN-Habitat |access-date=2025-01-08}}</ref> The city is administratively divided into 6 city districts (nahias).<ref name="elevation" /> There is a major road that passes through the city, linking it with nearby Kunduz in the west and Fayzabad in Badakhshan Province in the northeast.

==History== {{Further|History of Afghanistan}} [[File:Khwarezmshahs jital 1200-1220 Taliqan.jpg|150px|thumb|left|A coin minted in Taloqan under Muhammad II of Khwarezm (1200–1220).]] The old city to the west on the riverside was described by Marco Polo in 1275 CE as:

:"a castle called Taikhan, where there is a great corn-market, and the country round is fine and fruitful. The hills that lie to the south of it are large and lofty. They all consist of white salt, extremely hard, with which the people for a distance of thirty days' journey round, come to provide themselves, for it is esteemed the purest that is found in the world. It is so hard, that it can be broken only with great iron hammers. The quantity is so great that all the countries of the earth might be supplied from thence."<ref>{{cite book |last= Dupree|first=Nancy Hatch|title=An Historical Guide to Afghanistan|orig-year=1st Edition: 1970|edition=2nd Edition, Revised and Enlarged|year=1977|publisher=Afghan Tourist Organization}}</ref>

Taloqan had earlier come under Mongol control during the campaigns of Genghis Khan in the early 13th century. Following the fall of Balkh and the destruction of other Khwarazmian cities, the Mongols besieged and captured Taloqan, reportedly massacring its inhabitants as part of their broader campaign to subdue Khwarazmian resistance.{{cn|date=January 2026}}

In 1603, Taloqan ("Talhan") was visited by another European explorer, Bento de Góis, who was traveling with a caravan from Kabul to Yarkand (then the capital of Kashgaria).<ref>"The Journey of Benedict Goës from Agra to Cathay" - Henry Yule's translation of the relevant chapters of ''De Christiana expeditione apud Sinas'', with detailed notes and an introduction. In: {{cite book |first=Sir Henry |last=Yule |publisher=Printed for the Hakluyt society |year=1866 |title=Cathay and the way thither: being a collection of medieval notices of China. Issue 37 of Works issued by the Hakluyt Society |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KzEMAAAAIAAJ |pages=558–559 |access-date=2016-10-23 |archive-date=2016-07-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160706003056/https://books.google.com/books?id=KzEMAAAAIAAJ |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Recent history=== The mujahideen headquarters of Ahmad Shah Massoud were located in Taloqan during his campaign against the Soviet Army and the Taliban. On 5 September 2000, Taloqan became the last major city to fall to the Taliban,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.refworld.org/docid/3c84d9a14.html|title=U.S. Department of State Country Report on Human Rights Practices 2001 - Afghanistan|publisher=United States Department of State|date=4 March 2002|access-date=2 October 2020|archive-date=9 October 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201009054122/https://www.refworld.org/docid/3c84d9a14.html|url-status=live}}</ref> after a siege which claimed the lives of hundreds of civilians.<ref>{{cite news|url= http://www.e-ariana.com/ariana/eariana.nsf/7eca40d3d348841987256b79007d1cb8/05a2b19f9a3171e987256c4a005c8f1a?OpenDocument|title=Amid the ruins of war, Afghans tread warily|last=Filipov|first= David|date= 2002-10-06|publisher=The Boston Globe|access-date= 2007-12-19|url-status= dead|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090805073818/http://www.e-ariana.com/ariana/eariana.nsf/7eca40d3d348841987256b79007d1cb8/05a2b19f9a3171e987256c4a005c8f1a?OpenDocument|archive-date= 2009-08-05}}</ref> The capture of the city by the Taliban also triggered a mass exodus in the population, with civilians fleeing towards Imam Sahib and the Panjshir Valley. Northern Alliance forces managed to stop the Taliban advance to the north and to the east of the city, but were not able to retake it. Taloqan was liberated in November 2001 by forces of the Northern Alliance following the United States invasion of Afghanistan.

The city was attacked during the 2021 Taliban offensive (which coincided with the withdrawal of United States troops). On May 2, 2021, Piram Qul, a close aide to Abdul Rashid Dostum and one of the most influential anti-Taliban figures in Takhar, was killed in Rustaq District.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.aa.com.tr/en/asia-pacific/former-afghan-parliamentarian-killed-in-landmine-blast/2227341 |title=Former Afghan parliamentarian killed in landmine blast |publisher=Anadolu Agency |date=2 May 2021 |access-date=2026-01-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://8am.af/eng/the-collapse-of-the-anti-taliban-resistance-obstacle-beyond-kokcha-who-was-piramqul-ziayi-and-how-was-he-killed/ |title=The collapse of the anti-Taliban resistance obstacle beyond Kokcha; Who was PiramQul Ziayi and how was he killed? |website=8am.af |date=May 4, 2021 |archive-date=9 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211109012958/https://8am.af/eng/the-collapse-of-the-anti-taliban-resistance-obstacle-beyond-kokcha-who-was-piramqul-ziayi-and-how-was-he-killed/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Following the fall of several districts of Takhar to the Taliban,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2021/06/20/taliban-overrun-4-districts-of-takhar-say-sources/ |title=Taliban overrun 4 districts of Takhar, say sources |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=20 June 2021 |access-date=2026-01-08}}</ref> on June 20, 2021, a group of Takhar elders including Mohibullah Noori and Ashraf Ani announced at a press conference in Kabul that they will send a group to mobilize people resistant in support of Afghan security forces in Takhar. Mohibullah Noori led the group, which entered Taloqan on 26 June 2021 and united the Takhar commanders to resist against the Taliban.

The Taliban tried to take the city in July 2021, however the attack was repulsed.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/india/india-pulls-officials-afghanistans-kandahar-taliban-widens-control-2021-07-11/ |title=Afghan forces repel Taliban assault on provincial capital, governor says |work=Reuters |date=11 July 2021 |access-date=8 August 2021}}</ref> Later, during Taliban offensive Haji Agha Gol Qatghani was killed and Khair Mohammad Teymour injured and all forces, including provincial officials, retreated to the Versaj district. Taloqan was eventually captured by the Taliban on 8 August 2021.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://pajhwok.com/2021/08/08/most-areas-of-taloqan-fall-to-taliban-sources/ |title=Most areas of Taloqan fall to Taliban: Sources |work=Pajhwok Afghan News |date=8 August 2021 |access-date=2021-08-08}}</ref>

==Climate== Taloqan has a Mediterranean climate (Köppen climate classification ''Csa''). In winter there is more rainfall than in summer. The average annual temperature in Taloqan is {{cvt|14.6|°C|1}}. About {{cvt|475|mm|2|abbr=on}} of precipitation falls annually.

{{Weather box |width = auto |location = Taloqan |metric first = Y |single line = Y

|source = <ref name="Climate-Data.org">{{cite web |url = https://en.climate-data.org/asia/afghanistan/takhar/taloqan-3907/ |title = Climate: Taloqan |publisher = Climate-Data.org |access-date = November 2, 2018 |archive-date = April 16, 2019 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190416081530/https://en.climate-data.org/asia/afghanistan/takhar/taloqan-3907/ |url-status = live }}</ref> }}

==Taloqan in Islamic sources== The testament of the Islamic prophet Muhammad indicates that the city will play a major role regarding the Mahdi. A narration by chain, Imam Baqir states: "Allah Almighty has a treasure in Talaqan which is of neither gold nor silver, but consists of twelve thousand (people), having 'Ahmad, Ahmad' for their slogan. They will be led by a young Hashemite man riding a gray mule and wearing a red headband. It is as if I can see him crossing the Euphrates. Should you hear of his coming, rush to him even if you have to crawl over the snow<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://sahabatnabi.0catch.com/imammahdi3.htm |title=Al Mahdi |access-date=2011-08-13 |archive-date=2012-03-30 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120330174931/http://sahabatnabi.0catch.com/imammahdi3.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> Another narration states: "Talaqan is a place of treasures of Allah. These treasures are not of gold and silver, but consist of people who have recognised Allah as they should have."<ref>Al-Muttaqi al-Hindi, al-Burhan fee Alamat al-Mahdi Akhir az-Zaman, p. 59)</ref>

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

== Notes == {{notelist}}

== References == {{reflist}}

== External links == *{{YouTube|BvdQbG4ZXqs| چهرهٔ تازهٔ ولایت تخار new face of Takhar Province (2026) }} *{{YouTube|WXTmKLZopac| Beauties of Takhar- د تخار ولایت ښکلاوي }} *{{YouTube|qGZJROwpnuY| تخار از فراز آسمان Takhar from the sky }}

Category:Populated places in Takhar Province Category:Cities in Afghanistan Category:Provincial capitals in Afghanistan Category:Populated places with period of establishment missing