[1] Eventually in early 1842, Kamran Shah, the last reigning Sadozai ruler of Herat, was deposed and brutally murdered by his vizier, Yar Mohammad Khan Alakozai.

After the end of the First Anglo-Afghan War in 1842, Dost Mohammad Khan was now in a position to expand his state dramatically.

[6][10][3] In 1846, a rebellion by the Kohistani Tajiks of Tagab was suppressed and Dost Mohammad was able to consolidate his position on that traditionally rebellious area.

[6][10][3] In July 1848, he intended to send a force to conquer Balkh but the Second Anglo-Sikh War prevented this and occupied Dost Mohammad for another year.

[2] On March 11, 1862, Herati forces conquered the city of Farah in a battle where around 100 men on both sides were killed.

His forces committed atrocities in the area to the point where they assaulted some of Dost Mohammad Khan's female relations.

He believed that the Iranians backed Sultan Ahmad Khan's conquest of Farah, when in reality they never sanctioned such a move.

The Amir left his winter quarters at Jalalabad and began plans to march towards Herat.

For 5 days the Mohammadzais dug trenches around Herat, and for the next 6 months night raids, tunneling, and "sundry engagements" would be commonplace.

[1] The atrocities committed on the citizens of Herat by the Mohammadzais served to unite them, Shi'a and Sunni, against the Afghans.