Mujahideen tactics in the soviet-afghan war

Much more innovation was required from the soviet forces. Based on hundreds of interviews with former mujahideen in the mid 1990s, it is an invaluble account of how asymmetric warfare looks from the guerrillas side. Over 20 years have passed since the sovietafghan war, yet american war fighters are still suffering from the same strategic faults of the soviets. Aug 23, 2014 guerrila warfare archives mujahideen tactics in the afghan soviet war. At this point during cold war, the soviet union was already in a downward turn. Guerrilla warfare, military history, military policy, soviet afghan war, counterinsurgency. Mujahideen tactics in the soviet afghan war by ali ahmad jalali and lester w. In the context of afghanistan during the late 20th century, the mujahideen were islamic warriors defending their country from the soviet union, which invaded afghanistan in 1979 and fought a bloody war there for a decade.

Sep 17, 2019 the word mujahideen comes from the same arabic root as jihad, which means struggle. When the soviet union invaded afghanistan in 1979, few experts believed the fledgling mujahideen resistance movement had a chance of withstanding the modern. Outnumbered and outgunned, they used classic guerrilla tactics to gradually wear down and finally defeat the soviet army. Sovietafghanistan war overview history of war in the 20th. Mujahideen fighters, 18,000 afghan troops, and 14,500 soviet soldiers. The sovietafghan war 197892 was a civil war in afghanistan that matched the soviet union and its afghan allies against a coalition of anticommunist groups called the mujahideen, supported from the outside by the united states, pakistan, and saudi arabia. We should tell taraki and amin to change their tactics. How did the mujahideen finally defeat the soviets in afghanistan. Lester w grau illustrated with over a hundred maps. Grau 2010, paperback at the best online prices at ebay. Mujahideen tactics in the soviet afghan war from the worlds largest community of readers.

Guerrila warfare archives mujahideen tactics in the afghansoviet war. Afghanistans resistance movement originated in chaos and, at first, regional warlords waged virtually all of its fighting locally. This is the stronger of graus books on the soviet afghan war by far. Mujahideen ranks were occasionally successful in mounting and sustaining an operation. For everyone interested in the soviet afghan war and military history tactics id recommend bear went over the mountain. When the soviet union invaded afghanistan in 1979, few experts believed that the fledgling mujahideen resistance movement had a chance of withstanding the.

The ussr entered neighboring afghanistan in 1979, attempting to. These militias called themselves mujahideen and thought that they are fighting a holy war against the infidel communists. As the decade of 1970 drew to a close, the soviet union seeking to flex its influence invaded. Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war mujahideen air defense planning was also limited. The natural airapproach into urgun follows highway 141 in a northsouth direction. Foreign military studies office, 1995, xiiixx 2 2 lester w. Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war ali ahmad jalali, lester w. He has is the author of three books on the soviet afghan war, including the other side of the mountain. List of military equipment used by mujahideen during soviet.

Soviet combat tactics in afghanistan and the other side of the mountain. Lyakhovsky and other authors report that at the same time, the top soviet military and political leadership held secret deliberations on the possibility of early withdrawal of soviet forces from afghanistan. Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war by ali ahmad jalali and lester w. The soviet afghan war 19791989 was a conflict between the soviet union and the democratic republic of afghanistan and the rebel mujahideen, who were supported by many western and arab nations.

Mujahideen tactics in the soviet afghan war by ali ahmad jalali, lester w. Grau january 2009 marine corps intelligence activity. This publication discusses the tactics employed in the conflict between the mujahideen. Aug 04, 2014 a mujahideen, a captain in the afghan army before deserting, poses with a group of rebels near herat, afghanistan, on february 28, 1980. Thus, a mujahid is someone who struggles or someone who fights. When the soviet union invaded afghanistan in 1979, few experts believed that the fledgling mujahideen resistance movement had a chance of withstanding the soviet army. Mujahideen tactics in the soviet afghan war jalali, ali ahmad, grau, lester w.

The mujahideen obtained weapons from many sources, mostly supplied by the cia during operation cyclone and channeled through pakistan. The after action reports focus on the mujahideen tactics that made these commanders, mostly made up of civilians, such a force to be reckoned with. Foreign military studies office army fort leavenworth ks personal authors. The tactics of the mujahideen reflected this lack of central cohesion. The army later taught him russian, and his tours of duty included frequent trips to the soviet union and elsewhere. A mujahideen, a captain in the afghan army before deserting, poses with a group of rebels near herat, afghanistan, on february 28, 1980. This list shows military equipment used by the mujahideen during the sovietafghan war. Soviet troops tried to crush the insurgency by various tactics, but the guerrillas generally eluded their attacks. At the time, it was reported that the afghan capital of. Mujahideen tactics in the soviet afghan war corporate author. The soviets intervened in december 1979 after over a year of unsuccessful fighting against the anticommunist mujahideen rebels, and in a war that lasted the duration of the 1980s, 175,000 soviet. The mujahideen had heavy machine guns and control of the highground flanking the approach.

It is also another translation from original works by the soviet genreral staff, this time a collection of papers based on their analysis of the armies performance over its extended deployment in afghanistan. The sovietafghan war was a conflict wherein insurgent groups known collectively as the mujahideen, as well as smaller maoist groups, fought a guerrilla war. Mujahideen tactics in the soviet afghan war as want to read. Jun 01, 2011 technology has added rangeand accuracy, but the terrain still dictates tactics and the mujahideen were quite comfortable applying their timehonored tactics against a modern foe. At the start of the war, the mujahideen possessed virtually nothing but small arms with which to combat soviet aircraft. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. For ten years the mujahideen fought a military superpower that had invaded their homeland. The sovietafghan war 197892 was a war in afghanistan that matched the soviet union and its afghan allies against a coalition of anticommunist groups called the mujahideen, supported from the outside by the united states, pakistan, and saudi arabia. Foreign military studies office, fort leavenworth, kansas. Many weapons were also captured from soviet or dra forces. Due to heavy financial support and the supplying of arms to the mujahideen by the us and saudi arabia, the insurgent forces ended up being too much for the soviets, eventually forcing them to withdraw their troops from the country. Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war illustrated edition. Home general military history other side of the mountain. Learn tactics from firsthand accounts of the soviet afghan war the bear went over the mountain is a collection of vignettes written by soviet junior officers describing their experiences fighting the mujahideen guerrillas.

Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan warchapter 1 wikisource. May 11, 2020 the afghan war quickly settled down into a stalemate, with more than 100,000 soviet troops controlling the cities, larger towns, and major garrisons and the mujahideen moving with relative freedom throughout the countryside. Jihad with usarms the sovietafghan war i the cold war. Sustained combat guerrilla warfare islamic afghansoviet. Jan 01, 2002 3 this was the case during two wars with great britain in the 19th century 18391842, 18781880. Even after the retreat of the red army, afghanistan remained in. Buy a cheap copy of the other side of the mountain book by lester w. The mujahideen ambush was their most effective counter to sovietdra military activity and threatened the ability of the soviets and dra to prosecute the war. This book tells the story of the soviet afghan war in the words of the mujahideen guerrillas themselves. Gau oeig miiay suies oice, o eaewo, kasas ioucio y ieuea geea o e. A superb book on the soviet afghan war up there with the bear went over the mountain. Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war by ali ahmad jalali paperback online at lulu.

The cold war period muslim guerrillas known as the mujahideen, variously commanded by regional afghan warlords heavily subsidized by the united states, fighting against afghan and soviet forces. The politburo sessions of january 17 and 28, 1980 carried extensive discussions of the situation in afghanistan. The soviets withdrew from that country in 1989, leaving the afghan factions to fight it out in a civil war. Its borders were arbitrarily drawn by outside powers. Mujahideen tactics in the soviet afghan war with ali jalali. Grau with several new mciadeveloped vignettes from recent u. When the mujahideen had it good, they had it very good indeed. As warfare became more sophisticated, outside support and regional coordination grew. The soviet war in afghanistan, 1979 1989 the atlantic. Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war jalali, ali ahmad, grau, lester w. The mujahideen fought against soviet and dra troops during the sovietafghan war 19791989. Their tactics were not standard, but differed from valley to valley and tribe to tribe. The war ended the detente period of the cold war, and resulted in a humiliating defeat for the soviets, who pulled out in 1989, and for.

Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war center for security. Grau and ali ahmad jalali, the campaign for the caves. Even after the retreat of the red army, afghanistan remained in chaos, the. Mujahideen tactics in the soviet afghan war conflict studies research centre isbn 1903584590 january 2002 background. The september 11th sourcebooks national security archive.

Mujahideen tactics in the soviet afghan war fort leavenworth, kansas. How did the mujahideen finally defeat the soviets in. Mujahideen tactics in the sovietafghan war illustrated edition kindle edition by grau, lester k. Afghan insurgent tactics, techniques, and procedures field guide. Jul 11, 2015 these militias called themselves mujahideen and thought that they are fighting a holy war against the infidel communists.