Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan Overview
In 1973, Mohammed Daud Kahn overthrew his cousin King Zahir Shah, the King of Afghanistan, with the help of the communist PDPA which would, ironically, later overthrow him. Daud became the President of Afghanistan in 1973 and lead a centrist government. Unlike what Daud had accomplished while Prime Minister of Afghanistan, Daud slowly removed all communists from his cabinet and drastically reduced Soviet influence in Afghanistan. Daud's goal was to mitigate the threat of conflict between both the tribal regions and the split in the PDPA. In 1978, left-wing troops led by Nur Mohammed Taraki, and Afghan politician, overthrew this centrist government reversing what Daud had spent years accomplishing. The new government that took place was a soviet backed government consisting of two groups: the People's party and the Banner Party. The conflict thus began the internal conflict known as the Afghan War of 1978-92. The war was fought between the anti-communist Muslim guerilla fighters and the pro-communist government supported and aided by the Soviet Union. The Soviets and the Afghan Communist Government had little support of the people and wide-spread resentment amongst the largely Muslim and anti-communist population. The majority led insurgencies against the pro-communist government performed with guerilla tactics. These insurgencies were known as Mujahideen. To ensure the reinstatement of communism in the Afghani Government. the Soviets invaded on December 24, 1979 and remained there until 1989. The Soviets increased military assistance by $250 million and planted Soviet political and military advisors in Afghanistan. As the war progressed, the Soviets sent regular military units to key airbases in Afghanistan. Additionally, by December 28 of 1979, just four days after the declaration of their invasion, some 30,000 Soviet troops were deployed in Afghanistan. All of these militaristic installments were implemented with the goal of aiding the pro-communist government now led by the widely unpopular Babrak Karmal, a former leader of the Banner Party and implemented by the Soviets as the leader of their Puppet Government. (President of Afghanistan from 1979-86). The United States, as an obvious enemy of the Soviet Union and their expansion, aided the Mujahideen, the Muslim Afghan warriors rebelling against the Soviets, and helped to build their military to fight against the Soviets and the Afghan communists. During the war, 2.8 million Afghans fled to Pakistan while 1.5 million fled to Syria due to the bombing of the rural countryside by the Soviets. The US provided anti-aircraft missiles to help defeat Soviet airpower. You can read more about the aid they supplied here. Finally, unable to destroy the Mujahideen because of their guerilla tactics and aid from the United States, and unable to create a communist supportive government in Afghanistan, the Soviet Union signed an accord with the United States., Pakistan and Afghanistan. The accord called for the withdrawal of Soviet troops which was fully completed by February 15 of 1989, officially ending the Soviet invasion and occupation. After ten year long years, millions of lives were lost and billions of dollars were spent and the Taliban, and islamic militant group developed out of the Mujahideen. |