Why was the Wakhan Corridor created in Afghanistan?

The Vākhān region, commonly known as the Wakhan Corridor, was created as a strategic buffer zone between the British Empire and the Russian Empire.12

During the 19th century, the two powers were engaged in a geopolitical struggle for control of Central Asia known as the Great Game. To prevent direct contact and potential conflict between their respective spheres of influence, this thin panhandle of Afghan territory was designed to separate British India from the Russian-controlled regions to the north. This configuration, established in the late 19th century, remains a unique feature of the region's political geography today.21