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

VIGNETTE 3
ATTACK ON THE BODYALAY GARRISON
by Doctor Mohammad Sadeq
A DRA border guard battalion 3
at Bodyalay near Shewa District
had security posts on the high ground commanding the Dara-i-Nur
Valley which stretches northward from Bodyalay. We decided to attack
the security posts in March 1983 (Map 4-3 Bodyalay). We had 65
Mujahideen armed with one DShK heavy machine gun, one 82mm
mortar, four RPG-7s, 22 Kalashnikovs and other small arms. At that
time, we did not have a permanent base but moved from village to village
in the Dara-i Nur Valley. We came down from the mountains in
the north through the side valley that opens onto Ziraybaba about
eight kilometers to the east. From that valley, we moved on mountain
paths to reach the eastern flank of the main valley at Bodyalay
Mountain We positioned the DShK and mortar near the peak of
Bodyalay Mountain. I divided our force into four groups. One group
deployed against the south side of the battalion garrison to pin them in
position and cut off any aid from the south. The second group deployed
against the government base at the village of Darah-e Nur to pin them
down. The third group deployed against the two battalion outposts on
Bodyalay Mountain. The fourth group was the support group which
manned the DShK and mortar on the top of Bodyalay Mountain.
We started our attack after midnight. One mortar shell scored a
direct hit on a government OP and killed one and wounded five of the
enemy defenders. We were fighting for 2 hours and 30 minutes but
were unable to overrun either of the outposts. As the day dawned, we
had to withdraw since we were surrounded by enemy forces and were
about to lose the advantage of night. We withdrew over the same
mountain paths. I had two wounded Mujahideen from the attack.
COMMENTARY: The Mujahideen force harassed the DRA battalion, but
lacked sufficient combat power to overrun any of its outposts since
much of its force was deployed to prevent the DRA forces from moving
to reinforce the besieged outposts. Even if the attack succeeded, the
attackers would have only had time to grab weapons and other spoils
and leave. The Mujahideen force escaped over the same route that
Doctor Mohammad Sadeq was a commander with the HIH in Kunar Province. [Map sheet
3186, vie grid 4830].
3
Probably the 902nd Border Guards Battalion.