Utmankhel

The Utman Khel or "Utmankhel" (Urdu: اتمان خیل ) are a Pashtun tribe who occupy the hills to the north of Peshawar in the North-West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Their land lies between the Mohmands and the Ranizais of Swat, to the west and south-west of the junction of the Swat and Panjkora rivers. They claim to be descendants of Baba Utman Shamraiz, who accompanied Mahmud of Ghazni in his expedition into India in 997. The Utman Khel are a tall, stout and fair race, but their dress and general customs have been assimilated by the neighbouring peoples of Bajour. Their land is very hilly and difficult, but well cultivated in terraces.

The British conducted military campaigns against them in 1852, 1878, and 1898. They numbered some 40,000, and their fighting strength was about 8000 men.

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