The
Second Anglo–Afghan War (
Pashto: د افغان-انګرېز دويمه جګړه) was fought between the
United Kingdom and the
Emirate of Afghanistan from 1878 to 1880, when the latter was ruled by
Sher Ali Khan of the
Barakzai dynasty, the son of former
Emir Dost Mohammad Khan. This was the second time
British India invaded Afghanistan. The war ended after the British emerged victorious against the Afghan rebels and the Afghans agreed to let the British attain all of their geopolitical objectives from the
Treaty of Gandamak. Most of the British and Indian soldiers withdrew from Afghanistan. The
Afghan tribes were permitted to maintain internal rule and local customs but they had to cede control of the area's
foreign relations to the British, who, in turn, guaranteed the area's freedom from foreign military domination. This was aimed to thwart expansion by the
Russian Empire into India.