First Anglo-Afghan War

The First Anglo-Afghan War (Pashto: ده انګريز افغان اولني جګړه) was fought between the British Empire and the Emirate of Kabul from 1838 to 1842. The British initially successfully invaded the country taking sides in a succession dispute between emir Dost Mohammad Khan (Barakzai) and former King Shah Shujah (Durrani), whom they reinstalled upon occupying Kabul in August 1839. The main British Indian force occupied Kabul and endured harsh winters. The force and its camp followers were almost completely massacred during the 1842 retreat from Kabul.

First Anglo-Afghan War
Part of the Great Game

Lithograph depicting British-Indian force storming the fortress during the Battle of Ghazni, 23 July 1839
Date1 October 1838 – October 1842
Location
Result

Barakzai Afghan victory

Belligerents
Emirate of Kabul
Principality of Kandahar
Khanate of Kalat
Khulm (August 1840, November 1841 onwards.)
Marri
Bugti
Afghan Tribes
Barakzai Loyalists

 British Empire

Supported By:

Sikh Empire
Commanders and leaders
Dost Mohammad Khan 
Akbar Khan (WIA)
Afzal Khan (WIA)
Mir Masjidi Khan X
Akhtar Khan 
Haidar Khan 
Nawab Jabbar Khan 
Akram Khan
Nawab Muhammad Zaman
Kohandil Khan
Mehrdil Khan
Rahmdil Khan
Abdullah Khan Achakzai
Aminullah Khan Logari
Mir Wali of Khulm (November 1841 onwards)
Shujah ul-Mulk X
Robert Peel
William Lamb
Lord Auckland
William Elphinstone 
William Hay Macnaghten 
Sir Henry William Barnard
John Keane
John Connolly 
Sir Willoughby Cotton
George Pollock
Henry Marion Durand
Robert Sale
John Shelton (POW)
Robert Salusbury Trevor 
Edward Connolly 
Alexander Burnes 
Percival Lord 
Fath Jang 
Timur Mirza 
Sultan Shahpur 
Mir Wali of Khulm (August 1840-November 1841)
Hajji Khan Kakar
Casualties and losses
Unknown ~40,000 British dead

The British then sent an Army of Retribution to Kabul to avenge the destruction of the previous forces. After recovering prisoners, they left Afghanistan by the end of the year. Dost Mohammed returned from exile in India to resume his rule.

It was one of the first major conflicts during the Great Game, the 19th century competition for power and influence in Central Asia between Britain and Russia.

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