Battle of Dilaram
The Battle of Dilaram was fought near Farah between Mahmud Hotak and Abdali leader Asadullah Khan. Mahmud won decisively, killing Asadullah and 3,000 of his men.
Background
On the 19th of May 1719, a Persian force numbering about 30,000–35,000 men including an artillery train commanded by European officers advanced on Herat under Safi Quli Khan. Mohammad Zaman Khan, commanding roughly 15,000 Afghan fighters, chose to make his stand at Kafir Qala, a fortified outpost west of Herat near the frontier with Persia. Foreseeing the Persians' reliance on artillery, Asadullah placed his men behind orchard trees and in irrigation ditches to neutralize enemy fire. When the Persians commenced their bombardment, the Afghan positions held firm. As the Persian infantry advanced, they were met by concentrated flanking fire.After several hours of heavy fighting, a Persian gunner accidentally ignited a powder magazine, and the ensuing explosion engulfed the artillery park in smoke. In the confusion, Persian gunners began firing upon their own troops. Sensing the disarray, Mohammad Zaman Khan ordered a full cavalry charge. The Afghan horsemen swept through the shattered Persian lines, routing the enemy. Safi Quli Khan was slain, and according to contemporary accounts, the Persian general, realizing the battle was lost, mounted a barrel of gunpowder and blew himself up rather than be captured.