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

VIGNETTE 6
OPERATION GHASHEY (ARROW IN PUSHTO)
by General Abdul Rahim Wardak
From 23 October to 7 November 1988, a force of some 2,000
Mujahideen from the National Islamic Front of Afghanistan (NIFA)
shut down the Kabul-Jalalabad highway along a 70-kilometer stretch
between Sarobi and Laghman. I commanded them.
This action was part of a four-party (NIFA, HIK, HIH and JIA)
combined operation aimed at closing the eastern supply route to
the Afghan capital for a period of two months (October-November).
Each party was responsible for deploying its units to keep the highway
blocked for 15 days. The operation was planned in the wake of
Soviet forces withdrawal from the Nangrahar Province. The
Mujahideen intent was to prevent the government from reinforcing
the Jalalabad garrison while the Mujahideen prepared to advance on
Jalalabad from Torkham.
Elements of the DRA 8th and 18th border guard brigades, the DRA
60th Infantry Division, tank subunits from the 15th Tank Brigade, a
Sarandoy battalion and local militia manned the enemy's six bases and
nearly 20 outposts along this stretch of road. The DRA hoped to protect
the highway against Mujahideen attacks and keep the supply
route to Jalalabad open (Map 6-7a - Arrow 1). Each base was manned
by at least a platoon reinforced by one or two tanks or APCs, 122mm
D30 howitzers plus heavy machine guns and 82mm mortars. The
outposts consisted of five to ten men reinforced with machine guns,
AGS-17 and mortars. 9
I assembled my force from Mujahideen groups based across
General Wardak was an officer in the Afghan Army. He trained at US military schools
before the war and testified before the United States Congress on several occasions during
the war. He was one of the most noted Mujahideen commanders. At the close of the
war, he was seriously wounded by a SCUD missile and was treated in the United States
for his wounds. He became the first Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the
Islamic Government of Afghanistan in 1992 following the Mujahideen victory and the downfall
of the communist regime in Kabul. NIFA records and other interviews conducted by Ali
Jalali are used in this vignette. Correspondent Askold Krushelnycky accompanied NIFA
forces and filed a report on Operation Gashay in The Sunday times of 6 November 1988.
[Map sheets 2985, 2986,3085 and 3086].
9
A layout and discussion of the security outposts along this stretch of highway are found
in LTC Tubeev's article on pages 129-133 of The Bear Went Over the Mountain: Soviet
Combat Tactics in Afghanistan, edited by Lester W. Grau, Washington: NDU Press, 1996.