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

Chapter 8, Vignette 1 Page 215
provide sufficient time and space for the main body to prepare and
deploy for combat in the most favorable conditions possible. Had the
Mujahideen posted security patrols on the approaches to the village,
the Soviets probably would have been unable to approach undetected
and to surprise the unprepared resistance fighters. The two guard
details that Commander Qader deployed inside the village could
provide only close-in protection but could not provide early warning
or tactical security for the unit.
The secrecy of the Soviet movement to the village and their
stealthy deployment at the village played a decisive role in the outcome
of the raid. Taken by surprise, the Mujahideen lost control of the situation
and were forced to act under conditions dictated by the Soviets.
The Mujahideen could have avoided the disaster by preparing
contingency plans with clear-cut instructions to the combatants and
group leaders in the event of surprise attack. The plan would determine
the location of each combatant and sub-group leader during their
overnight stay in the village. Bagram was a major Soviet installation
and the overconfidence and bravado of the Mujahideen contributed to
their defeat.
Once he discovered the Soviet presence, the Mujahideen commander
did little to establish effective command and control over the
situation. He said that he did not have time to reach every combatant
and sub-group leader. But the commander failed to lead even the small
15-man group that was with him. He waited for his briefcase and told
his men to proceed without assigning a group leader in his absence.
This group was leaderless as it blundered into the two ambushes.
Local informers and collaborators were also vital to the Soviet
success. The Soviet detachment could not have achieved its goal without
help from the inside. Such cases of collaboration created a lot of
suspicion among the Mujahideen and sometimes resulted in very tragic
consequences to innocent people.
Haji Abdul Qader learned a very important lesson at a very high
price. As he says, his group never again stayed overnight in Sayghani
without posting a strong security detail on approaches to the village at
points not less than two kilometers from the place.