Description : Fayzabad (also spelled Feyzabad or Faizabad) (Persian: فيض آباد, romanized: Fayzâbâd) is a city in northeast Afghanistan, with a population of about 30,000 people. It serves as the provincial capital and largest city of Badakhshan Province. It is situated in Fayzabad District and is at an altitude of 1,200 m. (3,937 ft.). Fayzabad is the main commercial and administrative center of the Pamir region. The Kokcha River runs alongside the city. The Fayzabad Airport is located next to the city, which provides limited domestic flight services. The Afghan Air Force also uses the airport. The city was called Jauz Gun until 1680 because of the number of nuts ("jauz") in the area. The name was changed to Faizabad, which can be roughly translated as "abode of divine bounty, blessing, and charity", when the robe of Muhammed was delivered to the city. Tradition states that it was brought here by Muhammad Shaykh Ziya and Shaykh Niyaz after Wais Quran brought it to Balkh. At that time the city replaced Munjan as the capital of Badakhshan. Later, in 1768, Ahmad Durrani took the robe to Kandahar, and established the Mosque of the Cloak of the Prophet Mohammed there in 1695 (A.D.). The Sáhibzádas of Samarkand removed the relic of the prophet from the capital in 1734 (A.D.). His clothing which came from the Turkish Campaign, was taken by Temorlane to Samarkand. Whilst the relic was being conveyed to India it was captured by Mír Yár Beg who deposited it at Fayzabad. Many visitors used to come to a shrine erected in the city. The Khoja community of Badakhshán were made attendants at the shrine. There are seven historical forts in and around the city, several of which are in ruins. These forts were built to help defend the city or the roads leading in and out. In 1979 the town became a hotbed of guerrilla groups as Afghans sought to repel the Soviet invasion. Fayzabad was taken by Soviet forces in 1980 and became a base for the Soviet garrison. Many NGOs who work in the Badakhshan province have placed their headquarters in the new part of the city. Near the city Germany is leading the Provincial Reconstruction Team. Danish and Czech teams had been a part of the PRT but the Czechs left in 2007 and the Danes in 2008. The camp is based at an old Soviet airstrip.
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