Musa Qala is a district in the north of Helmand Province, Afghanistan.Its population was around 50,300 in 2005 and are 97% ethnic Pashtun. The district centre is the village of Musa Qala; there are 19 other large villages and 200 smaller settlements, mostly along the Musa Qala River. The area is irrigated by the Helmand and Arghandab Valley Authority.NATO-led International Security Assistance Force extended its presence to this region in mid-2006.