POLITICS — May 2, 2026

Special Court Declares Over 12,500 Jeribs of Land in Khost as Islamic Emirate Property

A special court in Afghanistan has declared over 12,500 jeribs of land in Khost province as Islamic Emirate property following a review of ownership claims and cadastral records. The ruling directs the relevant commission to formalize state control over the uncultivated tracts in the Ismailkhel and Mandozai districts.

The Ehtebar Desk — originates with Hasht-e Subh — corroborated by Pajhwok, Bakhtar News and RTA2 min read

Special Court Declares Over 12,500 Jeribs of Land in Khost as Islamic Emirate Property
Image courtesy Hasht-e Subh

The Ministry of Justice of the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan announced that a special court has officially designated 12,505 jeribs of land in Khost province as Emirate property. The ruling applies to tracts located in the Mandozai Sahra area across the Ismailkhel and Mandozai districts.

According to ministry statements, the case was referred to the special court under Article 17 of the land usurpation prevention law after private ownership claims were filed. Following an examination of cadastral records, the court determined the land is uncultivated and formally registered to the state. The judiciary subsequently directed the Commission for Prevention of Land Usurpation to execute the ruling and complete all required legal formalities.

While three outlets reported the figure in jeribs, another source cited the equivalent of approximately 6,250 acres, reflecting a standard unit conversion rather than a discrepancy in the underlying measurement. The decision is part of a wider administrative initiative to identify, verify, and recover state-held territories nationwide.

Authorities indicated that the relevant commission will now manage the administrative transfer and ensure compliance with the court’s directive. Officials emphasized that the process follows established property registration frameworks and aims to resolve longstanding ownership disputes in the region through formal legal channels.

Read the original reporting at Hasht-e Subh

Reliability assessment

Four independent outlets corroborate the core event based on direct, on-record attribution to the Ministry of Justice and Special Court. The variation in reported land size (jeribs vs. acres) is a standard unit conversion discrepancy rather than a factual contradiction. The event's occurrence, official attribution, and procedural details are firmly established across all sources.

The source language reads straight.

Across the newsrooms

Where reports agree

  • The Afghan Ministry of Justice/Special Court officially declared a large tract of land in Khost province as state/Emirate property.
  • The land is situated in the Mandozai Sahra village/area of the Ismailkhel and Mandozai districts.
  • The legal process involved the Commission for Prevention of Land Usurpation, a referral under Article 17 due to private ownership claims, and court verification that the land is uncultivated and state-registered in cadastral records.
  • The court directed the land commission to implement the ruling and execute legal procedures.

Where reports differ

  • Reported land size: Bakhtar News, Hasht-e Subh, and RTA cite 12,505 jeribs, while Pajhwok reports 6,252.5 acres. This reflects a unit conversion difference (1 jerib ≈ 0.5 acres) rather than a factual contradiction.
  • Hasht-e Subh includes additional context about recent similar land declarations in Kabul and notes public concern, which the other three outlets omit.
  • Terminology varies between 'Emirate property' (Bakhtar, Hasht-e Subh, RTA) and 'state-owned' (Pajhwok), reflecting editorial differences but referring to the same legal designation.

Filed by 4 outlets

Filed under

PoliticsMinistry of Justice, Khost Province, Land Usurpation Commission, Special Court, Islamic Emirate

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