Mujahideen Tactics in the Soviet-Afghan War - Bennett Park Raiders

Page 120 The Other Side of the Mountain: Mujahideen Tactics in the Soviet-Afghan War
There were about 300 total Mujahideen formed in four groups and
about 30 subgroups. We called the group commanders together and
told them to concentrate their men at night in Tokhi Khwar about one
kilometer from the district headquarters. We told them that we had
inside contacts but provided no details. We also assigned a group of
Mullas with megaphones to begin broadcasting after the attack. They
were to persuade the beseiged DRA to surrender. H-hour was midnight.
There were 150 Mujahideen in Nawaz Khan's group. They were
armed with three DShK heavy machine guns, two 82mm recoilless
rifles, some mortars and Kalashnikov rifles. Dr. Qudus group had
one Soviet PPSH submachine gun, some bolt-action rifles and some
other weapons. Several Mujahideen were unarmed. The other Mujahideen
groups were similarly equipped. The signal to attack was
given 10 minutes early. The tracers ripped into the air. Although the
drugged food did not have its desired effect, Piroz and 10 other
Mujahideen sympathizers had killed their communist officers. The
DRA battalion surrendered to us as we stormed inside the battalion
compound. The first one in was Doctor Nasar who just this year finished
his education in Egypt.
It was the 1st of July 1980. The Mujahideen had deployed forces to
the north, south and west of the district center. One group attacked
the DRA security posts on Baghal mountain to the northwest. One
group attacked along the main road which ran east of the river. One
group attacked to seize and cross the bridge. One group attacked the
DRA posts on the Amir Shahid hill to the southeast. The DRA military
did not want to fight us, however, the local militia units were reluctant
to surrender and fought on. The militia were still protecting the government
enclaves of Alingar, Nuristan and Nengrach. The military
then cooperated with us and turned their guns on the militia. A fierce
battle ensued with the Mujahideen and military fighting the militia.
During the fighting, the district governor of Alingar and eight or nine
aides managed to escape to Mehtar Lam. Still, we captured Alingar
and eliminated the DRA governments of Nengrach and Alingar.
Thirteen officials from Nuristan made a break, but were cut down in
our cross fire. The governor of Nuristan was killed by a Mujahideen
whose brother had been killed by this same governor. At one point,
Sidiqullah saw Saidagul; the Alingar Communist Party Secretary,
being dragged off by a group he did not recognize. Since he had lent
his rifle to a friend, Sidiqullah was unarmed and so he struck two
stones together to imitate a bolt action rifle action and challenged
them. Mawlawi Rahim identified himself and stated that they had