Editing Muslim conquests of Afghanistan (section)

===Qutayba's campaigns===

[[Qutayba b. Muslim]] was appointed the governor of Khorasan in 705 by al-Hajjaj b. Yusuf, the governor of Iraq and the East. He began his rule with the reconquest of western Tokharistan in the same year.<ref name=Beckwith>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7G61UifCEZMC&pg=PA70|title=The Tibetan Empire in Central Asia: A History of the Struggle for Great Power Among Tibetans, Turks, Arabs, and Chinese During the Early Middle Ages|publisher=Princeton University Press|page=70|author=Christopher I. Beckwith|isbn=0691024693|date=1993-03-28}}</ref> Qutayba, who was tasked with subduing the revolt in Lower Tokharistan, led the final conquest of Balkh. His army was assembled in spring of 705 and marched to Balkh. Per one version of al-Tabari, the city was surrendered peacefully. Another version, speaks of a revolt among the residents.<ref name=Gibb32/> In 706, he received the submission of Nizak, the leader of Badghis.<ref name=Beckwith/> In 707, he marched on [[Bukhara oasis]] along with Nizak in his army but the campaign did not achieve any major objective.<ref>{{cite book|title=The great Arab conquests: how the spread of Islam changed the world we live in|publisher=Hachette UK|page=260|author=Hugh N. Kennedy|author-link=Hugh N. Kennedy}}</ref>

According to Baldhuri, when Qutayba became the governor of Khorasan and Sistan, he appointed his brother 'Amr to Sistan. 'Amr asked the Zunbil to pay tribute in cash but he refused, prompting Qutayba to march against him. The campaign was also partially encouraged by his desire to eliminate the support of the southern Hepthalites, the Zabulites, for their northern brethren to revolt. Zunbil, who was surprised by this unexpected move and scared of Qutayba's reputation, quickly capitulated. Qutayba, realizing the real strength of the Zunbils, accepted it and returned to [[Merv]], leaving only an Arab representative in Sistan.<ref name=Shaban69/>

Per Al-Mada'ini, Qutayba returned to Merv after conquering Bukhara in 709. The rebellion of the Hepthalite principalities from the region of Guzgan, including Taloqan and Faryab, led Qutayba to dispatch 12,000 men from Merv to Balkh in winter of 709. The rebellion was led and organized by Nezak Tarkhan and was supported by Balkh and Marw al-Rudh's dihqan Bādām. Nizak had realised that independence would not be possible if Arab rule was strengthened in Khorasan, and perhaps was also encouraged by Qutayba's attempts to achieve his objectives through diplomacy. The success of Zunbils may also have encouraged him.<ref name=Shaban66>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1_03AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA66|title=The 'Abbāsid Revolution|page=66|publisher=Cambridge University Press|author=M. A. Shaban|isbn=9780521295345|date=1979-03-08}}</ref>

Nizak wrote to the Zunblis asking for help. In addition, he also forced the weak Jābghū of Tokharistan to join his cause to persuade all princes of the Principalities of Tukharistan to do the same. His plan to stage the revolt in spring of 710 was however spoilt by Qutayba. Bādām fled when Qutayba advanced on Marw al-Rudh<ref name=Shaban66/> but his two sons were caught and crucified by him. Qutayba next marched to Taloqan,<ref name=Kennedy>{{cite book|title=The great Arab conquests: how the spread of Islam changed the world we live in|publisher=Hachette UK|page=264|author=Hugh N. Kennedy|author-link=Hugh N. Kennedy}}</ref> which was the only place in his campaign where the inhabitants were not given a complete amnesty, concerning which [[H.A.R. Gibb]] states the "traditions are hopelessly confused". Per one account, he executed and crucified a band of bandits there, though it is possible it was selected for this severity as it was the only place where there was an open revolt.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6TN8CgAAQBAJ&q=qutayba+robbers&pg=PT36|title=The Arab Conquests in Central Asia|publisher=Read Books Ltd.|author=H.A.R. Gibb|year=2013|page=36|author-link=H.A.R. Gibb|isbn=9781446545638}}</ref>

Faryab and Guzgan both submitted and their inhabitants were not harmed. From there, Qutayba went on to receive the submission of people of Balkh. Almost all of Nizak's princely allies had reconciled themselves with Qutayba and there were Arab governors in all towns of Tokharistan, spoiling his plans. He fled south to the [[Hindu Kush]], hoping to reach Kabul<ref name=Kennedy/> and entrenched himself in an inaccessible mountain pass guarded by a fortress. The Arabs succeeded in gaining the fort with help of Ru'b Khan, ruler of Ru'b and Siminjan.<ref>{{cite book|title=Regions of the World|publisher=Luzac|author=Vladimir Minorsky|page=338|year=1937|author-link=Vladimir Minorsky}}</ref> Nizak fled along the modern road that leads from the Oxus valley to [[Salang Pass]] and holed up in an unidentified mountain refuge in a site of [[Baghlan Province]]. Qutayba caught up with him and besieged him for two months.<ref name=Kennedy/>

Sulaym al-Nasih (the counsellor), a ''[[mawla]]'' of Khorasan, helped in obtaining Nizak's surrender to Qutayba who promised a pardon. Nonetheless, he was executed along with 700 of his followers after orders from al-Hajjaj. The Jabghu of Tokharistan was sent as a valuable hostage to [[Damascus]].<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1_03AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA67|title=The 'Abbāsid Revolution|page=67|publisher=Cambridge University Press|author=M. A. Shaban|isbn=9780521295345|date=1979-03-08}}</ref> Qutayba then went in pursuit of Juzjan's king, who requested amnesty and called for exchange of hostages as a precautionary measure. This was agreed upon and Habib b. 'Abd Allah, a Bahilite, was sent as prisoner by Qutayba while the king sent some of his family members in return. The peace treaty was agreed but the king died in Taloqan on his return journey. His subjects accused the Muslims of poisoning him and killed Habib, with Qutayba retaliating by executing Juzjan's hostages.<ref>{{cite journal|journal=Islamic Culture|publisher=Islamic Culture Board|volume=45|title=A Survey of the expansion of Islam into Central Asia during the Umayyad Caliphate|author=Dr. S. A. Hasan|editor1=Marmaduke William Pickthall|editor2=Muhammad Asad|page=103}}</ref>