The terrain in and around the valley is notoriously rugged, located at a mean altitude of 9,000 feet (2,700 m).
Shah-i-Kot means "Place of the Kings" in Pashto and it has historically been a redoubt for Afghan guerrillas hiding from foreign invaders.
The area was the scene of fierce fighting between the Afghan mujahideen rebels and Soviet forces during the Soviet–Afghan War, as the battle for Hill 3234.
In 2002 the valley was also the scene of Operation Anaconda, one of the largest battles of the War in Afghanistan.
This Paktia Province, Afghanistan location article is a stub.