Soviet-Afghan War - Wikipedia
Soviet-Afghan War - Wikipedia
Soviet-Afghan War - Wikipedia
Location Afghanistan
Other Mujahideen:
Factions:
Harakat i-Islami[5]
Nasr Party
(IVOA)[28]
COIRGA
Shura Party
Hezbollah (Afghan
section)
IRM
UOIF
Raad Party
Supported by:
Iran[29]
Maoists:
Factions
Sazman-i Rihayi
(ALO)
SAMA
AMFFF
Supported by:
RIM
Muhammad Asif
Muhsini
Abdul Ali Mazari
Assef Kandahari
Sayyid Ali Beheshti
Mosbah Sade
Mulavi Dawood
(AMFFF)
Faiz Ahmad
Majid Kalakani
(SAMA)
Strength
KGB 200,000–
40th Army 250,000[35][36][37]
620,000 total
personnel [32]
115,000 peak
strength[33]
Afghan forces:
65,000 regulars at
peak[34]
1,314 IFV/APCs
433 artillery guns
and mortars
11,369 cargo and
fuel tanker trucks
(Soviet estimation)
26,000 killed including
3,000 officers[39]
(other sources)
Afghan forces:
18,000 killed[40]
Civilians (Afghan):
562,000[46]–2,000,000 killed[47][48]
5 million refugees outside Afghanistan
2 million internally displaced persons
Around 3 million Afghans wounded (mostly
civilians)[49]
The foundations of the conflict were laid
by the Saur Revolution, a 1978 coup
wherein Afghanistan's communist party
took power, initiating a series of radical
modernization and land reforms
throughout the country. These reforms
were deeply unpopular among the more
traditional rural population and established
power structures.[54] The repressive nature
of the "Democratic Republic",[55] which
vigorously suppressed opposition and
executed thousands of political prisoners,
led to the rise of anti-government armed
groups; by April 1979, large parts of the
country were in open rebellion. [56] The
communist party itself experienced deep
internal rivalries between the Khalqists
and Parchamites; in September 1979,
People's Democratic Party General
Secretary Nur Mohammad Taraki was
assassinated under orders of the second-
in-command, Hafizullah Amin, which
soured relations with the Soviet Union.
With fears rising that Amin was planning
to switch sides to the United States,[57] the
Soviet government, under leader Leonid
Brezhnev, decided to deploy the 40th Army
across the border on December 24,
1979.[58] Arriving in the capital Kabul, they
staged a coup (Operation Storm-333),[59]
killing General Secretary Amin and
installing Soviet loyalist Babrak Karmal
from the rival faction Parcham. [56] The
Soviet invasion[nb 1] was based on the
Brezhnev Doctrine.
Naming
In Afghanistan the war is usually called the
Soviet war in Afghanistan (Pashto: ﭘﻪ
اﻓﻐﺎﻧﺴﺘﺎن ﮐﯥ ﺷﻮروی ﺟ هPah Afghanistan ke
Shuravi Jagera, Dari: ﺟﻨﮓ ﺷﻮروی در اﻓﻐﺎﻧﺴﺘﺎن
Jang-e Shuravi dar Afghanestan). In Russia
and elsewhere in the former Soviet Union it
is usually called the Afghan war (Russian:
Афганская война, Ukrainian: Війна в
Афганістані, Uzbek: Afgʻon urushi); it is
sometimes simply referred to as "Afgan"
(Russian: Афган), with the understanding
that this refers to the war (just as the
Vietnam War is often called "Vietnam" or
just "'Nam" in the United States).[86]
Background
In 1885, Russian forces seized the
disputed oasis at Panjdeh south of the
Oxus River from Afghan forces, which
became known as the Panjdeh Incident.
The border was agreed by the joint Anglo-
Russian Afghan Boundary Commission of
1885–87. The Russian interest in the
region continued on through the Soviet era,
with billions in economic and military aid
sent to Afghanistan between 1955 and
1978.[87]
Saur Revolution
Soviet–Afghan relations
Afghanistan Scout Association in 1950s
Aid to insurgents
Pakistan–U.S. relations
Deployment
1980s: Insurrection
Media reaction
Exit
Aerial engagements
Soviet Union and Democratic Republic of
Afghanistan Air Force jet fighters and
bombers would occasionally cross into
Pakistani airspace to target Afghan
refugees camps in Pakistan. In order to
counter the Soviet jets, United States
started providing F-16 jets to Pakistan.[204]
These F-16 jets lacked the capability to fire
radar-guided beyond-visual range missiles
and thus required to get close to their
opponents in order to use their AIM-9P
and more advanced AIM-9L Sidewinder
heat-seeking or their 20-millimeter Vulcan
cannons. On May 17, 1986, two Pakistan
Air Force (PAF) F-16 intercepted two Su-
22M3K belonging to Democratic Republic
of Afghanistan Air Force (DRAAF) near the
Pakistani airspace.[204] Pakistani officials
insisted that both the fighter jets belonging
to DRAAF were shot down while Afghan
officials confirmed loss of only one fighter
jet. Following the engagement, there was
major decline in the number of attacks on
Afghan refugees camps in Pakistan. On
April 16, 1987, a group of PAF F-16s again
chased down two DRAAF Su-22 and
managed to shoot down one of them and
capture its pilot.[204] In the year 1987,
Soviet Union reported that Pakistani
fighter jets were roaming in Afghan
airspace, harassing attempts to aerial
resupply the besieged garrisons like the
one in Khost. On March 30, 1987, two PAF
F-16s shot down an An-26 cargo plane,
killing all 39 personnel on board the
aircraft. In the coming years, PAF claimed
credit for shooting down several Mi-8
transports helicopter, another An-26 which
was on a reconnaissance mission in
1989.[204] In the year 1987, two PAF F-16
ambushed four Mig-23 who were bombing
Mujahideen supply bases. In the clash, one
PAF F-16 was lost after it was accidentally
hit by an AIM-9 Sidewinder fired by the
second PAF F-16. The PAF pilot landed in
Afghanistan territory and was smuggled
back to Pakistan along with wreckage of
his aircraft by the Mujahideen. However,
some Russian sources claim that F-16
was shot down by Mig-23, though the
Russian Mig-23 were not carrying air-to-air
missiles.[204]
War crimes
Human Rights Watch concluded that the
Soviet Red Army and its communist-allied
Afghan Army perpetrated war crimes and
crimes against humanity in Afghanistan,
intentionally targeting civilians and civilian
areas for attack, killing and torturing
prisoners.[207] Several historians and
scholars went even a step further and
have stated that the Afghans were victims
of genocide by the Soviet Union, including
American professor Samuel Totten,[208]
Australian professor Paul R. Bartrop,[208]
scholars from Yale Law School such as W.
Michael Reisman and Charles Norchi,[209]
writer and human rights advocate
Rosanne Klass,[47] as well as scholar
Mohammed Kakar.[210]
Massacres
Rape
Wanton destruction
An Afghan village left in ruins after being destroyed by
Soviet forces
Torture
Amnesty International concluded that the
communist-controlled Afghan government
used widespread torture against inmates
(officials, teachers, businessmen and
students suspected of having ties to the
rebels) in interrogation centers in Kabul,
run by the KHAD, who were beaten,
subjected to electric shocks, burned with
cigarettes and that some of their hair was
pulled out. Some died from these harsh
conditions. Women of the prisoners were
forced to watch or were locked up in the
cells with the corpses. The Soviets were
accused of supervising these
tortures.[219][220]
Looting
Foreign involvement
Pro-Mujaheddin
Pakistan
United States
United Kingdom
Throughout the war Britain played a
significant role in support of the US and
acted in concert with the U.S. government.
While the US provided far more in financial
and material terms to the Afghan
resistance, the UK played more of a direct
combat role - in particular the Special Air
Service — supporting resistance groups in
practical manners.[271] This turned out to
be Whitehall's most extensive covert
operation since the Second World War.[272]
An Afghan mujahid carries a Lee–Enfield No. 4 in
August 1985
China
Pro-Soviet
India
Impact
International reaction
Causes of withdrawal
Refugees
Aftermath
The Soviet
Following the Soviet
strategy of withdrawal, some of the
"rubblization foreign volunteers
" returned (including Osama bin
the country Laden's al-Qaeda)[345] and
to the Dark
young Afghan refugees,
Ages, paving
went on to continue violent
the way for a
jihad in Afghanistan,
radicalizatio
n of the Pakistan and abroad.
survivors Some of the thousands of
(many of Afghan Arabs who left
whom joined
Afghanistan went on to
the now
become "capable leaders,
infamous
religious ideologues and
Taliban
movement) military commanders," who
that would played "vital roles" as
be realized insurgents or terrorists in
in the places such as Algeria,
decade after
Egypt, Bosnia and
the Soviet
Chechnya.[346] Tens of
departure in
thousands of Afghan
1988.
Samuel refugee children in
Totten & Pakistan were educated in
Paul madrassas "in a spirit of
Bartrop[344] conservatism and religious
rigor", and went on to fill
the ranks and leadership of the Taliban in
Afghanistan and Sipah-e-Sahaba in
Pakistan. [347] The groups embodied new
varieties of Political Islam – "Salafi
jihadism" among the foreign
volunteers,[345] and a "hybrid" Deobandi
jihadism among the madrassa-
educated.[347]
"Blowback"
Perception in Afghanistan
Russian Federation
Ukraine
Memorial to soldiers located in Kolomyia, Ukraine
Uzbekistan
Belarus
Moldova
Around 12,500 residents of the Moldovan
SSR served during the war. Of those, 301
Moldovans died in the war.[381] The Union
of Veterans of the War in Afghanistan of
the Republic of Moldova is a veteran's
group based in Moldova that advocates
for the well being of veterans.[382] On May
15, 2000, after the Government's initiative
to abolish benefits for veterans of the war
in Afghanistan, sympathizers went to
Great National Assembly Square. In 2001,
the Party of Communists of the Republic
of Moldova, which came to power,
radically changed the position of all
veterans in the country.[383] February 15 is
celebrated as the Day of Commemoration
of those killed in the War in
Afghanistan.[384] The main ceremony is
held at the memorial "Sons of the
Motherland - Eternal Memory".
See also
Dissolution of the Soviet Union
Post–World War II air-to-air combat
losses
Shuravi
Soviet involvement in Indo-Pakistan War
of 1971
Soviet occupation zone
Spetsnaz (Russian Special Purpose
Regiments)
Terrorism and the Soviet Union
Afghanistan conflict (1978–present)
Political philosophies and doctrines
Brezhnev Doctrine
Carter Doctrine
Interventionism
Reagan Doctrine
Zia Doctrine
Notes
1. The Soviet deployment had been variously
called an "invasion" (by Western media and
the rebels) or a legitimate supporting
intervention (by the Soviet Union and the
Afghan government).[60][61] Amnesty
International described it as an invasion.[62]
References
1. Weymouth, Lally (October 14, 1990). "East
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2. "India to Provide Aid to Government in
Afghanistan" . Delfi.lv. March 7, 1989.
3. Goodson 2011, p. 190.
4. Goodson 2011, p. 61.
5. Goodson 2011, p. 189.
. Goodson 2011, p. 62.
7. Goodson 2011, p. 141.
. Hegghammer, Thomas (2011). "The Rise of
Muslim Foreign Fighters: Islam and the
Globalization of Jihad". International
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Saudi Arabia did provide considerable
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9. "Afghanistan War | History, Combatants,
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11. "Interview with Dr. Zbigniew Brzezinski-
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13. Crile, George (2003). Charlie Wilson's War:
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20. Szczudlik-Tatar, Justyna (October 2014).
"China's Evolving Stance on Afghanistan:
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21. [19][20]
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2 . Goodson 2011, p. 63.
29. Goodson 2011, p. 139.
30. Borer, Douglas A. (1999). Superpowers
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31. "The top leader is believed to be Maulvi
Mohammad Umar Amir, who was born in
Nodeh (village) in Kandhar, and is now
settled in Singesar. He was wounded four
times in the battles against the Soviets and
his right eye is permanently damaged. He
took part in the "Jehad" under the late Hizb-
e-Islami Khalis Commander Nek
Mohammad". Indian Defence Review. 10:
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32. Krivosheev, p. 365
33. Nyrop, Richard F.; Seekins, Donald M.
(January 1986). Afghanistan: A Country
Study (PDF). Washington, DC: United
States Government Printing Office.
pp. XVIII–XXV. Archived from the original
(PDF) on November 3, 2001.
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External links
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title=Soviet–Afghan_War&oldid=1021739838"