The Other Side of the Mountain: Mujahideen ... - Tribal Analysis Center

CHAPTER 3
SHELLING ATTACKS
Mujahideen shelling attacks on garrisons, outposts, airfields and
cities were a daily event. The Mujahideen usually used mortars, rockets
and recoilless rifles in these attacks. Sometimes they used mountain
guns and howitzers. The objective was to harrass their foes and
destroy war material. Mujahideen gunners learned to construct multiple
firing sites and to fire and then quickly displace before DRA or
Soviet artillery or aviation could respond effectively. When possible,
Mujahideen would keep water near their firing sites to dampen the
ground behind the rocket or recoilless rifle. This would help curb the
amount of tell tale dust raised by the backblast of the ordnance. The
Soviets and DRA tried to curb these attacks with counterbattery fires,
rapid reaction forces and ambushes. Due to their routine nature, the
Mujahideen did not usually discuss these unless the interviewer
probed. The Mujahideen considered these as usually rather dull
events that did not bear retelling. The following attacks, however,
were hardly dull events.
Mazer-e
Sharif
Afghanistan
Chapter 3
Incidents