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

Chapter 10, Vignette 4 Page 259
The Action Near Bagram
At that time, Haji Abdul Qader commanded some 200 Mujahideen
in the Bagram District. His permanent base was co-located with a JIA
base under Commander Shahin at Deh Babi near Abdullah-e Burj. His
other base was at Ashrafi near Charikar. His group was a mobile
group and spent most of its time fighting around Bagram or combined
with other Mujahideen units in Parwan and Kapisa Provinces.
During the Soviet cordon and search operation in Parwan and
Kapisa Provinces, Haji Abdul Qader's unit, along with a 150 strong
unit under Commander Sher Mohammad, was to defend a line
north of the main Bagram-Mahmoud-e Raqi road between Abdullahe
Burj and Qala-e Beland. To the west, HIH faction Mujahideen were
blocking the Bagram-Charikar axis, and on the east flank, JIA
units were covering the area on the left bank of Panjsher River
(Map 10-4 - Parwan).
The night before the attack, Soviet and DRA artillery pounded
Mujahideen positions from fire bases that they established around the
area. They attacked swiftly and engaged the Mujahideen on all axes
with infantry and armor or pinned them down with heavy artillery and
air strikes. Their air force intensified the pressure on the second day
as ground attack aircraft and helicopter gunships supported the attacking
columns. Mujahideen communications were seriously disrupted
and their tactical coordination dropped off dramatically.
Haji Qader ordered his men to occupy prepared blocking positions.
They were armed with Kalashnikovs, some 15 RPG-7 anti-tank
grenade launchers, three 82mm and one 75mm recoilless rifles, three
82mm mortars, two DShK machine guns and one ZGU-1 heavy
machine gun. They also had a few 107mm surface-to-surface rockets.
Haji Qader deployed all his anti-tank weapons forward and emplaced
his heavy machine guns on the high ground behind the front line. Haji
Qader split his force and rotated them in the defensive positions. The
Mujahideen who were not manning the positions constituted the
reserve and concentrated in Baltukhel and Sayadan, some two to three
kilometers to the northwest. Qader's supplies and aid station were
also located in this area.
At dawn on January 25, opposing artillery pounded Mujahideen
positions for about two hours. The intensity of fire kept the resistance
fighters down inside their bunkers. Some Mujahideen took cover in
the ruins and terrain folds and ditches. The artillery fire was accompanied
by air strikes and gun runs by helicopter gunships. The
Mujahideen did not expose themselves during the fire strikes. A little