Panjdeh

The Panjdeh incident or Panjdeh Scare (Russian: Афганский кризис, Afghan Crisis or Бой за Кушку, Battle of Kushka) was a battle that occurred in 1885 when Russian forces seized Afghan territory south of the Oxus River (modern name Amu Darya) around an oasis at Panjdeh (modern Serhetabat, Turkmenistan). The incident created a diplomatic crisis between Russia and Great Britain. The competing interests of Russia and Britain, the main protagonists in The Great Game, in Central Asia and India had for years been on the increase, and the Panjdeh Incident came close to triggering full-scale armed conflict. After taking the northern part of what became Russian Central Asia the Russians moved into Turkmenistan from the Caspian, winning the Battle of Geok Tepe in 1881 and annexing Merv in 1884. Panjdeh is south of Merv on the road to Herat.