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

Chapter 11, Vignette 12 Page 329
Sarkani and deployed the bulk of the force to the valley entrance
facing the Sarkani District center. This was the main avenue of
approach to Krer and I expected the enemy to use it.
A mixed Soviet/DRA column, led by local guides, crossed the
Kunar River at Nawabad bridge, northeast of Sarkani, and attacked
my forward positions in the late afternoon (Map 11-14 - Krer1). This
was where I expected them and heavy fighting ensued as enemy
infantry and armored vehicles fought with my resistance fighters
at the valley entrance. Both sides had heavy losses. While the
enemy tied my forces down, he launched another attack from Pashad
along the mountain paths to outflank my force. This attacking
column consisted of Soviet infantry (possibly a Spetsnaz detachment)
and it moved undetected to the rear of my force and seized the
undefended high ground on the Spina Tsoka mountains. From there,
the Soviet detachment attacked us from the rear and overran both
Mujahideen valley bases, including our main supply depot. By next
morning, we had lost all our installations and were surrounded by
the enemy forces. The enemy was pounding our positions from the
high ground to our rear.
I had crossed the border and mobilized a Mujahideen force in the
Bajuar camps and, as the enemy fought for Krer, the reinforcing
Mujahideen force moved toward Krer to help the embattled defenders.
My reinforcements moved early in the morning to the border and
infiltrated through concealed approaches to Krer since the enemy
dominated the main road from the high ground. Around noon, I was
moving with a six-man group when we stumbled on a group of
Soviets. Apparently, they were a command group. We attacked the
group and after a brief but fierce clash, in which both sides threw
hand grenades at each other, we killed a senior Soviet officer. This
apparently lead to the withdrawal of the Soviets. With the arrival of
the Mujahideen reinforcements, the Soviet position was threatened
from the rear. Fragmented fighting broke out in separate areas
throughout the valley. The enemy began to pull out in the afternoon
and by the evening we Mujahideen recaptured the valley and our
bases. The bases were mostly destroyed by the enemy.
We caught a group of Soviet soldiers in one of our supply caves at
the depot. We attempted to flush them out and lost several
Mujahideen killed and wounded to AK-74 fire. Finally, we fired an
RPG into the cave and then threw hand grenades into it silencing the
enemy. The next morning we found several dead Soviets in the cave.
We buried our dead and evacuated our wounded. I had roughly 25%