Mohmand tribe

History of the Mohmand Tribe

The Mohmand is a renowned Pashtun tribe that has played a significant role in the annals of Pashtun history. Their primary region is the Mohmand District of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, though they are also found in parts of Peshawar District and Afghanistan’s Nangarhar Province. According to traditional genealogical accounts of the Pashtuns, Mohmand, the progenitor of the tribe, was a son of Daulatyar bin Ghoraey bin Kand bin Kharshabun bin Sarban bin Qais Abdur Rasheed. Daulatyar’s other son, Daud, was the progenitor of the Daudzai tribe, which is primarily settled in the Peshawar District. The descendants of Daulatyar’s two sons—the Mohmands and Daudzais—along with the descendants of Ghoraey’s three other sons, Khalil, Chamkani, and Ziran, are collectively known as the Ghoria Khels. 

Their ancient abode is said to have been Kandahar, but by the 15th century they were settled to the west and south of Ghazni and along the banks of the Tarnak River. The Mughal emperor Babur, in his memoirs, records their presence near Ser-i-Deh (in the present-day Andar District of Ghazni Province) and near Muqur (also in modern-day Ghazni Province, Afghanistan). In the early 16th century, they migrated to and settled in Nangarhar, near the western mouth of the Khyber Pass, as well as in the present-day Mohmand District. A portion of them, along with their kinsmen—the Khalils and Daudzais—crossed the Khyber Pass and attacked the Dilazak Pashtuns, who at that time occupied the Peshawar District. After the Dilazaks were defeated, the Ghoria Khels (Khalils, Mohmands, and Daudzais) took possession of the Peshawar region.

Around 1550 AD, the Ghoria Khels developed a feud with the Khashi tribes, culminating in a battle at Shaikh Tapoor. The Khashis, led by Khan Gaju, defeated the Ghoria Khels. However, Khan Gaju made no attempt to dispossess them of their lands in Peshawar.

Articles & Images about the Mohmand Tribe

An Aged Mohmand Pashtun Fighting His British Foes, 1908

Illustration of a sword fight between a British officer and an aged Mohmand Pashtun in 1908. Details about British conflict with Mohmands in 1908..

Nur Gul of Panjpao, a Halimzai Mohmand

Nur Gul was a Halimzai Mohmand who launched some heavy attacks on British in early 1850s and inflicted losses on them.

Portrait of Ibrahim Khan Mohmand (Pashtun)

He was most likely a noble of the Mughal Empire. He could be the Ibrahim Khan Mohmand who was an officer during the reign of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb.

Mohmand chiefs of Peshawar, 1861

A photograph of the two Mohmand Arbabs of Peshawar taken in 1861 and short description of the Mohmand tribe by the British.

The Khans of Lalpura (Morcha Khel Mohmands)

Account of the Khans of Lalpura who belong to the Morcha Khel branch of Tarakzai Mohmands.

1935 British Invasion of the Mohmand: First Use of Tanks in British-India

The first operational use of tanks in the sub-continent was against the Mohmands in 1935.

Mohmand tribesmen, 1890

A photo from "The tribes on our frontier" series of photos by Bourne & Shepherd. .