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

Chapter 10, Vignette 3 Page 253
Ghar, Dergi Ghar, Wut Ghar, Cokay Baba Ghar, Kacay Ghar, and
Tirana Ghashe. The troops on the high ground sealed off our escape
into the mountains. At the same time, a detachment from the Soviet
base at Samarkhel crossed the Kabul River to establish the southern
part of the cordon. The main Soviet ground sweep started from Tirana
Ghar moving to the east.
We woke up to the sounds of helicopters and the lights of flares. We
were facing a large force—possibly bigger than a regiment. I was
saying my morning prayers when my guard approached and said
"Commander, things look different this morning." I told him, "Don't
worry, our lives are in the hand of God, not the Russians. We are
destined to die on the day that is destined for us. It will not be pushed
backward or forward." The helicopters continued to fly over, wave
after wave. %
I saw a group of Mujahideen from the village of Mastali running
away between Wut Ghar and Dergi Ghar. As they moved along the
road, the Soviets on the high ground began shooting at them. I saw
two of them go down. Gulrahg was one and the son of Ghulam
Sarwar the driver, was the other. Both were killed. The rest escaped
into the mountains.
We were close to the river, so we moved to the south of Kama
where there is a bushy area and a mosque. We took refuge and hid
ourselves there. Everything was quiet in our area for hours. My
Mujahideen came to me and asked what was happening. It was now
1100 hours. I said that the Russians would come when they would
come, but we were hungry now. I approached a village for food.
Someone came out and told me not leave the hideout since enemy
tanks were five minutes from the village. I returned to the hideout.
Around 1400 hours, another villager came and told me to leave
the bushy area since the Russians were going to set it on fire to
flush us out. He said eight tanks and APCs were approaching the
area. We moved to the edge of the wooded area where there is a
natural berm and took up positions there. We had one RPG-7 with
three rounds, two Kalashnikovs, and some Marko Chinese bolt-action
rifles. 7
The wooded area was also full of civilians who were hiding
from the Soviets, so we felt an obligation to defend them and the
wooded area and prevent the Soviets from setting it on fire. I saw
BMPs moving toward us. They stopped short of and bypassed the
wooded area and turned toward Kama. It was now 1500 hours.
Marko is the Chinese copy of the German M-88 Mauser.