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

VIGNETTE 16
SISAY AMBUSH
by Commander Haji Mohammad Seddiq
In October 1985, several Mujahideen groups cooperated to establish
an ambush at Sisay, some five kilometers north of the Saydabad
District Headquarters in Wardak Province. The ambush site is located
along the main highway between Kabul and Ghazni. It is located at
the mouth of the valley which extends to Logar and offers concealed
approach and withdrawal routes for an ambush force. The terrain
facilitates the use of all types of weapons by an ambushing force, while
restricting maneuver to a force caught in the kill zone.
Mawlawi Faizan, the Wardak provincial leader of HIH, was overall
commander of the Sisay combined ambush. He had information
from his sources that a large Soviet/DRA column would move from
Kabul to Ghazni. Mawlawi Faizan planned the ambush at Sisay and
called on several local Mujahideen groups to participate (Map17 -
Sisay). He assembled a combined force of 80 Mujahideen armed with
four 82mm mortars, six 82mm recoilless rifles, four 60mm mortars, 11
ten RPG-7s and an assortment of Goryunov machine-guns, AK-47
assault rifles and bolt-action Enfield rifles.
I brought my group from Logar Province. It took us three hours to
reach the ambush site. Normally, we organized our force into six-man
teams, but due to the expected strength of the enemy column, we organized
our force into 10-man teams. The ambush had three groups—an
assault group, a support group and a heavy weapons group. The
assault group had four teams (40 men) armed with the anti-tank
weapons. It deployed on Guley hill close to the road. The support
group was located behind the assault group. It had three teams (30
men) armed with the machine-guns. It's mission was to support the
assault group with machine gun fire, evacuate the wounded and resupply
ammunition. The heavy weapons group had one 10-man team
Haji Mohammad Seddiq is from No-Burja village in Logar Province. The village is in the
Tangi-Wardak area which connects the Saydabad District of Wardak Province to the Baraki
Barak District in the Logar Province. Commander Seddiq's village is located on the border
between the two provinces. Therefore, his command fought in both provinces in coordination
with other Mujahideen. Commander Haji Mohammad Seddiq was affiliated with
Hekmatyar's HIH. [Map sheet 2785, vic grid 7666].
11 The Mujahideen called the 60mm mortar the "guerrilla mortar" (cheriki hawan) due to
its light weight and transportability.