Tang-e Gharu

Tang-e Gharu is a gorge east of Kabul, Afghanistan, where the Kabul River and the Kabul–Jalalabad highway pass through the Hindu Kush foothills.

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Kabul–Jalalabad Highway: A major highway linking Kabul with Jalalabad in eastern Afghanistan. Its route threads through Tang-e Gharu, making the gorge a key passage east from Kabul.
Hindu Kush: A mountain range extending through Afghanistan and northern Pakistan. Tang-e Gharu cuts through foothills on the eastern side of this range.
Afghanistan War (2001–2021): A war beginning with the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan and ending with the withdrawal of foreign forces in 2021. The highway corridor through Tang-e Gharu mattered to movement between Kabul and eastern Afghanistan during the war.
Torkham: A border town and crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan on the route east of Jalalabad. Traffic passing through Tang-e Gharu can continue east through Jalalabad toward this border crossing.
Kabul River: A river that flows through Afghanistan and Pakistan before joining the Indus River. The river runs through the gorge alongside the highway.
Kabul River basin: The drainage basin of the Kabul River and its tributaries in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The gorge occupies a confined section of the river’s route through the basin.
Afghanistan conflict (1978–present): A prolonged series of wars and armed conflicts in Afghanistan beginning with the 1978 Saur Revolution. The gorge’s strategic road has been situated within decades of conflict over access to Kabul.
Darunta Dam: A hydroelectric dam on the Kabul River near Jalalabad, Afghanistan. It lies downstream from the gorge on the same river corridor.
Kabul: The capital and largest city of Afghanistan. Kabul lies west of the gorge and is the highway’s principal western endpoint.
Nangarhar Province: An eastern Afghan province whose capital is Jalalabad. Tang-e Gharu lies on the western approach to the province from Kabul.