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

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Chapter 11, Vignette 12 Page 329<br />

Sarkani and deployed <strong>the</strong> bulk of <strong>the</strong> force to <strong>the</strong> valley entrance<br />

fac<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> Sarkani District center. This was <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> avenue of<br />

approach to Krer and I expected <strong>the</strong> enemy to use it.<br />

A mixed <strong>Soviet</strong>/DRA column, led by local guides, crossed <strong>the</strong><br />

Kunar River at Nawabad bridge, nor<strong>the</strong>ast of Sarkani, and attacked<br />

my forward positions <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> late afternoon (Map 11-14 - Krerl). This<br />

was where I expected <strong>the</strong>m and heavy fight<strong>in</strong>g ensued as enemy<br />

<strong>in</strong>fantry and armored vehicles fought with my resistance fighters<br />

at <strong>the</strong> valley entrance. Both sides had heavy losses. While <strong>the</strong><br />

enemy tied my forces down, he launched ano<strong>the</strong>r attack from Pashad<br />

along <strong>the</strong> mounta<strong>in</strong> paths to outflank my force. This attack<strong>in</strong>g<br />

column consisted of <strong>Soviet</strong> <strong>in</strong>fantry (possibly a Spetsnaz detachment)<br />

and it moved undetected to <strong>the</strong> rear of my force and seized <strong>the</strong><br />

undefended high ground on <strong>the</strong> Sp<strong>in</strong>a Tsoka mounta<strong>in</strong>s. From <strong>the</strong>re,<br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>Soviet</strong> detachment attacked us from <strong>the</strong> rear and overran both<br />

<strong>Mujahideen</strong> valley bases, <strong>in</strong>clud<strong>in</strong>g our ma<strong>in</strong> supply depot. By next<br />

morn<strong>in</strong>g, we had lost all our <strong>in</strong>stallations and were surrounded by<br />

<strong>the</strong> enemy forces. The enemy was pound<strong>in</strong>g our positions from <strong>the</strong><br />

high ground to our rear.<br />

I had crossed <strong>the</strong> border and mobilized a <strong>Mujahideen</strong> force <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong><br />

Bajuar camps and, as <strong>the</strong> enemy fought for Krer, <strong>the</strong> re<strong>in</strong>forc<strong>in</strong>g<br />

<strong>Mujahideen</strong> force moved toward Krer to help <strong>the</strong> embattled defenders.<br />

My re<strong>in</strong>forcements moved early <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> morn<strong>in</strong>g to <strong>the</strong> border and<br />

<strong>in</strong>filtrated through concealed approaches to Krer s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>the</strong> enemy<br />

dom<strong>in</strong>ated <strong>the</strong> ma<strong>in</strong> road from <strong>the</strong> high ground. Around noon, I was<br />

mov<strong>in</strong>g with a six-man group when we stumbled on a group of<br />

<strong>Soviet</strong>s. Apparently, <strong>the</strong>y were a command group. We attacked <strong>the</strong><br />

group and after a brief but fierce clash, <strong>in</strong> which both sides threw<br />

hand grenades at each o<strong>the</strong>r, we killed a senior <strong>Soviet</strong> officer. This<br />

apparently lead to <strong>the</strong> withdrawal of <strong>the</strong> <strong>Soviet</strong>s. With <strong>the</strong> arrival of<br />

<strong>the</strong> <strong>Mujahideen</strong> re<strong>in</strong>forcements, <strong>the</strong> <strong>Soviet</strong> position was threatened<br />

from <strong>the</strong> rear. Fragmented fight<strong>in</strong>g broke out <strong>in</strong> separate areas<br />

throughout <strong>the</strong> valley. The enemy began to pull out <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> afternoon<br />

and by <strong>the</strong> even<strong>in</strong>g we <strong>Mujahideen</strong> recaptured <strong>the</strong> valley and our<br />

bases. The bases were mostly destroyed by <strong>the</strong> enemy.<br />

We caught a group of <strong>Soviet</strong> soldiers <strong>in</strong> one of our supply caves at<br />

<strong>the</strong> depot. We attempted to flush <strong>the</strong>m out and lost several<br />

<strong>Mujahideen</strong> killed and wounded to AK-74 fire. F<strong>in</strong>ally, we fired an<br />

RPG <strong>in</strong>to <strong>the</strong> cave and <strong>the</strong>n threw hand grenades <strong>in</strong>to it silenc<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />

enemy. The next morn<strong>in</strong>g we found several dead <strong>Soviet</strong>s <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> cave.<br />

We buried our dead and evacuated our wounded. I had roughly 25%

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