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

Chapter 11, Vignette 9 Page 313
tanks and artillery on the plain of Zhare Dashta in support. Since
the orchards were impenetrable to their tanks, their tanks supported
their infantry like naval gunfire from ships. Their tanks would wait
until their infantry closed with our base and then would edge into the
channelized approaches. As soon as their infantry fell back, the
tanks would fall back. Tanks are of little value in the green zone and
would seldom advance there. APCs, however, would advance in
infantry support. However, their movement was also very channelized
and they were easy to attack on the flank.
The enemy would precede his attack with heavy air and artillery
bombardment. The Mujahideen would stay in their bunkers to survive
and only leave a few observers in the fighting positions. As soon as the
observers saw the enemy approach, the Mujahideen would come out of
their bunkers and man the fighting positions. The enemy infantry
would suffer casualties and then fall back. Many of the DRA soldiers
defected. We would broadcast over megaphones "We are not your
enemy. We are your brothers. Join us." Still, the enemy infantry eventually
gathered strength and returned to attack our base from the
south and southeast and then closed from Jelawor.
Our defenses were vulnerable in the northwest. After continuous
fighting, our Mujahideen were having trouble staying awake. At one
fighting position, a DRA patrol penetrated the position and stole a
recoilless rifle. The gunner was asleep. Commander Ahmadullah
Jan saw them taking the recoilless rifle and followed them. Some 25-
30 meters away, two APCs were waiting for the DRA patrol. Before
they reached their APCs, Ahmadullah Jan and his men, plus another
Mujahideen group, intercepted them and fought a fire fight. They
destroyed one APC, recovered the recoilless rifle, captured the patrol
and captured the remaining APC. They brought the patrol leader, a
DRA lieutenant, to Mulla Naqib. Naqib told him "We don't want to
kill you, but tell your fellows that we will not leave and this will
mean death for more of you. Stop your attacks and return to your
barracks." The lieutenant replied, "I can't do this because my
family is in Kabul." We let him go anyway that evening.
The fighting continued for 34 days. During the 34 days, a routine
emerged. The enemy would begin the morning with an aircraft and
artillery bombardment from the south and southeast. Usually, they
would then send eight helicopter gunships to work over the area.
Then, they would launch infantry attacks. The Mujahideen would
emerge from their bunkers, occupy fighting positions and wait for the
approaching infantry. We were hard to see since we had excellent