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

Page 204 The. Other Side of the Mountain: Mujahideen Tactics in the Soviet-Afghan War
Mujahideen air defense planning was also limited. The natural air
approach into Urgun follows highway 141 in a north-south direction.
The Mujahideen had heavy machine guns and control of the high
ground flanking the approach. Evidently, most of the machine guns
were used to fire on DRA ground forces and the air defense posture was
degraded at the time of the Soviet air response.
Mine clearance was a continual problem for Mujahideen forces and
the use of tanks to clear lanes through antipersonnel minefields and to
breach a hole in the fortress walls deserves high marks. The use of a
tank protection group, mounted on the tank, was a tactical innovation
that worked well. This may not seem a tactical innovation to professional
officers who always keep infantry up with their tanks, but it was
not a common practice when Mujahideen acquired armor. The presence
of professional officers, like General Zadran, was responsible for
the formation of the tank protection group.