The Human Cost Of Conflict: Remembering The Fallen Mujahideen In Afghanistan

The Soviet-Afghan War, also known as the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, was a protracted armed conflict that lasted from 1979 to 1989 and resulted in the deaths of approximately 90,000 Mujahideen fighters. The war was sparked by the Soviet Union's intervention in support of the Afghan communist government, which was facing opposition from anti-communist Muslim guerrillas known as the Mujahideen.

The Mujahideen, backed by various countries, including Pakistan, the United States, China, and Iran, waged guerrilla warfare against Soviet and Afghan government forces. The rugged, mountainous terrain of Afghanistan provided a strategic advantage to the Mujahideen, who blended in with the local population.

The Soviet military employed brutal tactics, levelling villages and using aerial power to deny safe havens to the Mujahideen. These actions caused widespread destruction and civilian casualties, with an estimated one million civilians killed during the conflict.

Despite their superior numbers and firepower, the Soviets faced fierce resistance and were unable to suppress the Mujahideen insurgency. The war resulted in significant losses for the Soviet Union, with approximately 15,000 soldiers killed and many more wounded.

The conflict ended with the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in February 1989, marking a pivotal moment in the country's history and setting the stage for the subsequent civil war and the rise of the Taliban.

The Soviet-Afghan War

The war began when the Soviets, under Leonid Brezhnev, invaded Afghanistan to support the pro-Soviet government. This invasion was met with fierce resistance from the mujahideen, who waged guerrilla warfare across the rugged, mountainous terrain of the country. The Soviets responded with harsh tactics, including the destruction of villages and the use of landmines, which led to massive civilian casualties and a refugee crisis, with millions of Afghans fleeing the country.

The war resulted in significant casualties on both sides, with approximately 3 million Afghans killed and millions more displaced. The mujahideen also suffered heavy losses, with an estimated 90,000 fighters killed. The Soviet Union lost around 14,500 soldiers, with thousands more wounded and suffering from the psychological effects of the conflict.

The war had a significant impact on Afghanistan, causing widespread destruction and contributing to the dissolution of the Soviet Union. It also led to the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and militant groups, such as al-Qaeda, and the Taliban, which would go on to play a significant role in the region and global politics.

The rise of the Mujahideen

The Mujahideen were formed of various guerrilla groups and insurgents who opposed the Soviet forces and the Afghan communist government. The Mujahideen were united by their Islamic faith, which was at odds with the atheism of the communist government. The communist government had little popular support, and the Mujahideen drew upon Islam as a uniting source of inspiration.

The Mujahideen were initially poorly equipped, but their access to weapons and combat organisation improved as the war progressed. They received aid from sympathetic Muslims around the world, and an indeterminate number of Muslim volunteers travelled from all parts of the world to join their war effort. The Mujahideen also received aid from the United States, who supplied them with Stinger missiles, which enabled the Mujahideen to challenge Soviet control of the air.

The Mujahideen remained politically fragmented throughout the war, and after the Soviets withdrew in 1989, a short-lived transitional government was established. However, the Mujahideen could not establish a functional united government, and many of the larger Mujahideen groups began to fight each other over power in Kabul. This infighting, along with the emergence of the Taliban, a puritanical Islamic group, eventually led to the rise of the Taliban and the opposing Northern Alliance.

Foreign support for the Mujahideen

The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan was a significant event in the Cold War, and the United States was keen to counter Soviet influence in the region. In July 1979, President Jimmy Carter initiated a covert program through the CIA to financially support the Mujahideen rebels in Afghanistan. This program, called Operation Cyclone, was one of the longest and most expensive covert CIA operations ever undertaken.

The CIA provided assistance to the Mujahideen through the Pakistani intelligence services, and the program initially provided $500,000 worth of non-lethal assistance to the Mujahideen. After the Soviet invasion in December 1979, which took President Carter by surprise, the CIA expanded the program and began providing weapons and money to the Mujahideen.

The United States viewed the conflict in Afghanistan as an integral Cold War struggle and was determined to respond vigorously to the Soviet invasion. In addition to providing financial and military support to the Mujahideen, the US imposed sanctions on the Soviet Union, promised renewed aid to Pakistan, and committed to defending the Persian Gulf. Carter also called for a boycott of the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, a decision that sparked controversy.

The US support for the Mujahideen continued under President Ronald Reagan, who greatly expanded the program as part of the Reagan Doctrine of aiding anti-Soviet resistance movements abroad. Reagan deployed CIA Special Activities Division paramilitary officers to equip the Mujahideen forces against the Soviet Army. The US also offered two packages of economic assistance and military sales to support Pakistan's role in the war.

The total cost of US support for the Mujahideen was around $3 billion, and the program played a significant role in ending the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. The Soviets were unable to quell the insurgency and withdrew from the country in 1989, which precipitated the dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The Mujahideen's guerrilla tactics

• Ambushes: Mujahideen fighters would launch surprise attacks on Soviet convoys and military targets. They utilised their knowledge of the local terrain to set up ambushes and then melt away before Soviet forces could retaliate.
• Raids: Mujahideen conducted hit-and-run raids on Soviet supply lines, attacking bridges, railroads, and airfields to disrupt the movement of enemy troops and supplies.
• Shelling Attacks: Mujahideen used mortars and rockets to shell Soviet bases and strong points. They also targeted Soviet aircraft with anti-aircraft missiles, such as the US-supplied Stinger missiles.
• Urban Combat: Mujahideen engaged in urban warfare, fighting Soviet troops in cities like Jalalabad and Kandahar. They utilised ambushes, sniping, and close-quarters combat in urban areas.
• Attacks on Heliborne Insertions: Mujahideen targeted Soviet helicopter landings in strategic areas to prevent the deployment of reinforcements and supplies.
• Guerrilla Warfare: Mujahideen fighters operated in small, mobile groups, blending in with the local population. They took advantage of their knowledge of the rugged mountainous terrain to launch attacks and then retreat to safe havens.
• Sabotage: Mujahideen sabotaged power lines, pipelines, radio stations, government buildings, and other key infrastructure. They also laid landmines, targeting both military and civilian targets.
• Propaganda: Mujahideen used propaganda to recruit new fighters and gain support from the local population. They emphasised the religious nature of their struggle, portraying it as a jihad or holy war against atheist communists.
• Foreign Support: Mujahideen received significant support from foreign countries, including Pakistan, the United States, Saudi Arabia, China, and others. This support included weapons, funding, and military training.
• Safe Havens: Mujahideen established base camps in mountainous regions, such as Tora Bora, to train and organise their forces. These bases were difficult for Soviet forces to attack due to the rugged terrain.
• Deception: Mujahideen employed deception tactics, such as disguising themselves as civilians or wearing Soviet uniforms to infiltrate enemy positions. They also used propaganda to spread disinformation and confuse Soviet forces.

The legacy of the Mujahideen

The Mujahideen were a coalition of guerrilla groups in Afghanistan that opposed the invading Soviet forces and eventually toppled the Afghan communist government during the Afghan War (1978–92). The Mujahideen were initially poorly equipped, and they remained decentralised throughout the war. They used animal transport against Soviet motor transport and held most of the countryside. The quality of their arms and combat organisation gradually improved as a result of experience and the large quantity of arms and other war matériel shipped to the rebels, via Pakistan, by the United States and other countries. The Mujahideen also received aid from sympathetic Muslims throughout the world, and an indeterminate number of Muslim volunteers—popularly termed "Afghan-Arabs", travelled from all parts of the world to join their war effort.

The Mujahideen were at first united by their anti-communist and pro-Islamic goals. However, they were not a united movement and remained fragmented politically. The Mujahideen were divided along ethnic, ideological and personal lines, despite internal and external pressures to unite. The only party fighting the Soviets was the Harakat-i Inqilab-i Islami. The others were all fighting each other.

The Mujahideen's acquisition of shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles from the United States and Great Britain in 1986 enabled them to challenge Soviet control of the air—a significant factor in the Soviets' withdrawal early in 1989. The Mujahideen caused serious casualties to the Soviet forces and made the war very costly for the Soviet Union. In 1989, the Soviet Union withdrew its forces from Afghanistan.

After the Soviet withdrawal, most of the Mujahideen continued their fight against the government of Mohammad Najibullah, which continued to receive funding from Moscow. The Mujahideen's divisions and factionalism hindered their war effort, and skirmishes between rival groups became common. In 1992, Najibullah's government fell, and most Mujahideen factions signed the Peshawar Accords. However, the Mujahideen could not establish a functional united government, and many of the larger Mujahideen groups began to fight each other over power in Kabul. This infighting was a catalyst that led to another civil war between the new government and Mujahideen factions that rebelled against it.

The Mujahideen's legacy is mixed. On the one hand, they are celebrated for their bravery in resisting a superpower and for defeating a major power. On the other hand, the lack of unity showed weaknesses in the guerrillas, and the infighting that followed the Soviet withdrawal is cited as a prelude to the brutal 1990s civil war that divided the country politically and ethnically.

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