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

VIGNETTE 1
SOVIET OFFENSIVE THROUGH SURKH RUD
by Commander Mohammad Asef
During 1978-1979, the heavily-populated Surkh Rud District
was a hotbed of resistance against the communist regime and a
base for Mujahideen actions in Nangrahar Province. Following the
Soviet invasion, one of the early major Soviet operations was
conducted against Mujahideen bases in Surkh Rud. There are two
main roads running northeast to southwest in Surkh Rud Valley
(Map 11-1 - Chaharbagh). Highway 134 runs through Chaharbagh,
Watapur, Surkh Rud (the district headquarters), Khayrabad, and
Fatehabad. The other road runs along the bottom of Tor Ghar
mountain. It passes through Darunta, Katapur, Balabagh, and then
follows the Surkh Rud River to the west. Most of the Mujahideen
bases were located along these two roads and most Mujahideen bases
also maintained hideouts in the canyons of the Tor Ghar mountain.
My home town of Bazetkhel was located between the two roads, but
my base was just to the east of Highway 134.
The Soviet forces concentrated in Jalalabad in May 1980. We were
tipped off that the Soviets planned to advance along the two roads,
destroying Mujahideen bases as they went. Their southern column
would swing north at Fatehabad to seal the pocket. I left my base at
Chaharbagh and went to my village at Bazetkhel, where I had 80 men.
I took 50 of these men north into a Tor Ghar mountain canyon. We
intended to stop the Soviet column on the northern route before they
reached the main Mujahideen base at Katapur. We also hoped to buy
enough time to allow the civilians to escape into the mountains. When
the column approached, my force engaged them and we stopped the
column. The Soviets dismounted and began moving aggressively into
the mountains. They were a bit too aggressive and our fire cut them
down. The Soviets were badly bloodied. The Soviets responded by calling
in massive artillery fire on my positions. When night fell, I pulled
my force further up the canyon to the mountain ridge and then crossed
over into the next canyon to the west. We moved down the canyon and
into the town of Katapur.
Mohammad Asef was initially a Hezbi-lslami (HIH) commander until 1984 when he joined
NIFA. He was in high school when the communists came to power. He graduated from
school and then joined the resistance. He is from Bazetkhel in Surkh Rud District southwest
of Jalalabad in Nangrahar Province. [Map sheet 3085].