Khost in the context of "Highway 1 (Afghanistan)"

Sikhism in Afghanistan in the contemporary era is limited to small populations, primarily in major cities, with the largest numbers of Afghan Sikhs living in Jalalabad, Ghazni, Kabul, and to a lesser extent in Kandahar and Khost. Sikhs have been the most prevalent non-Muslim minority in Afghanistan, and despite the many political changes in recent Afghan history, governments and political groups have generally not indulged in openly discriminating against the Sikh minority; however, their status have been severely impacted amid the country's conflict since 1978.

The origin of the Sikh community in Afghanistan has broadly two streams, including indigenous Pashto and Dari speakers, descendants of converts to the teaching of the Sikhism’s founder Guru Nanak during his trip to Kabul around 1520. The second stream derive from the later Sikh Empire as it pushed westward, establishing trading routes for Sikh merchants into Kandahar and Kabul; this group speak Hindko, a dialect of Punjabi. Due to this mixed ancestry, Afghan Sikhs are from various ethnolinguistic backgrounds including Pashtun, Hindkowan or Punjabi.

The Kurram Valley Field Force was a British military formation during the first phase of the Second Afghan War, 1878–79.

It was one of three military columns created by the British in November 1878 at the start of the Second Afghan War, each of which invaded Afghanistan by a different route. Commanded by Major General Frederick Roberts, the Kurram Valley Field Force was the smallest of the three columns, with an initial strength of 6,665 officers and men of the British and Indian armies and 18 guns. Roberts' force crossed into Afghanistan from India on 21 November 1878 and advanced up the Kurram Valley in the direction of Kabul. After defeating Afghan regular forces, reinforced by local tribesman, at the battle of Peiwar Kotal on 2 December 1878, there followed a number of minor engagements, after which Roberts' force occupied the whole of the Kurram Valley. Here the Kurram Field Force was reinforced by a further 3,500 men, many of whom were placed along the line of communication back to India.

The Mangal (Pashto: منګل) are a tribe of the Pashtun people residing in eastern Paktia and adjacent Khost provinces of Afghanistan, and in the town of Tari Mangal, district Kurram, Pirdil Khel, Fatima Khel and Surrani of Bannu Pakistan. Their land constitutes the northeastern part of the Loya Paktia (Greater Paktia) region. The Mangals descend from Karlani Pashtun lineage.Mangals have resisted the various militant groups in the region and other external infiltrators, nevertheless they have remained neutral in respect of recent conflicts. The majority of Mangals are spread across Afghanistan who among other Afghans have been attached to professions such as politicians, military commanders, teachers and scholars specializing in Pashto literature. The Mangal leaders are most recognized for settling tribal disputes and have established an unwritten code known as nerkh, which the Pashtun tribes still use as a tool to resolve conflict among each other. A small number of Mangals residing in the present day lakki marwat District around 1500 AD along with the Honi tribe. Most of these Mangals live as independent in lakki marwat (kpk) and in Kurma Pakistan which borders the Mangal province of Paktia in Afghanistan.

Mangal tribe is also found in Pakistan's Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province mainly in area of Thall Valley and also in District Hangu and Orakzai Agency of FATA.A large group of Mangal's are living in the valley of kurram agency's areas such as Tari Mangal, Kutri Mangal, Gobazana, Haqdara, Gidu, Sursurang, Piwar tangi and Shalawzan Tangi.Mangal tribe also found in Qematay Mangal nearer to Tari Mangal on Afghanistan side. Mangals Of Tari Mangal and Mangals of Qematay Mangal are relatives of each other. These Mangals on both sides of the border between Pakistan and Afghanistan are called the saver of the border. Tari Mangal, Qematay, Kutri, Gidu and Shalawzan are popular for tourism as thousands of people from different parts of Pakistan have been visiting these zones on special occasions. Almost 70% to 75% Mangal are live in Afghanistan side and 20% to 25% live in Pakistan side.

Khost (Pashto, Dari: خوست), is one of the 34 provinces of Afghanistan located in the southeastern part of the country. Khost consists of thirteen districts and the city of Khost serves as the capital of the province. Historically, Khost used to be a part of Paktia and a larger region surrounding Khost is still referred to as Loya Paktia.

Throughout history, the province has been the site for numerous rebellions, leading to the local Pashtun populace to consider themselves the “traditional king-makers in Kabul”. The province was previously known as the Southern province and was united with the neighbouring Paktia province. Khost is also home to numerous universities, including Shaikh Zayed University, which is the only university in Afghanistan with a faculty in computer science.

Mīrānshāh (Urdu: میران شاہ)(Pashto: میران شاه‎) is a main town in the region that is the administrative headquarters of North Waziristan District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province of Pakistan. Miranshah lies on the banks of the Tochi River in a wide valley surrounded by the foothills of the Hindu Kush mountains. It is located at an elevation of about 930 metres (3,050 ft), 17 kilometres (11 mi) from the Pakistan-Afghanistan border (Durand Line). The nearest city in Pakistan is Bannu, about 55 kilometres (34 mi) to the east, while the nearest city across the border in Afghanistan is Khost, 60 kilometres (37 mi) to the northwest.

The city has a shrinking population of only 4,361, and it has only 356 households. This makes it the least populous urban area in Bannu Division, but it is also the only urbanized area in the entire region of North Waziristan, and also the entire Waziristan region, a mountainous area that has 99% of its 1.22 million residents living in rural areas. Miranshah remains a regional business hub for surrounding rural areas that visits the bazaar for day to day requirements. Miranshah bazaar is become a hustling during daytimes while it remains less busy during late hours.