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

VIGNETTE 7
ALCOHOL CAN BE DEADLY
by "The Mountain Man"
The DRA 8th Infantry Division was garrisoned in Kabul. We had a
contact who was an officer in that division. Over the years he provided
us with lots of good information. His cooperation put him, and his
family, at risk. He wanted to defect to the Mujahideen. We helped engineer
his defection while hurting the enemy. We told our contact to
arrange a party on September 24, 1983. He invited the Political Officer
of the 8th Infantry Division with two Soviet advisers who worked with
them to his home in Kot-e Sangi. The three accepted his invitation and
arrived at night driving their military jeep. Our officer had plenty of
Western whiskey and shish kebabs on hand. The Soviets and the
Political Officer ate and drank and became totally drunk. They passed
out. Then our officer summoned us. We came into his house and carried
the unconscious drunks out to their jeep. We drove them to the village
of Qala-e Qazi located to the southwest of Kabul. Since we were in their
jeep, no one stopped us or challenged us. We took the drunks out and
sent the jeep back to the officer. He loaded his family into the jeep and
took his family to Pakistan. Then he joined our cause openly.
We carried the drunks to a hideout in the Morghgiran Mountain
village. 2
When the drunks sobered up the next day, we offered them the
chance to convert to Islam and to choose a righteous path. The Soviets
became very angry and began cursing us and insulting us. They stated
that "There is no way back from the path chosen. Afghanistan will be
communist. We will not accept you or your dirty religion." They refused
to cooperate. We could not get them out of the area without some cooperation
on their part and we could not shoot them because the shots
might draw attention from nearby security outposts. So, we buried
them all alive. We kept their clothing and papers which we eventually
sent to HIH headquarters in Peshawar. The next day, the Soviets surrounded
the area, so we left and went to Parwan and Maidan. While the
Soviets were looking for us, they had a clash with Mawlawi Rahmatgul's
forces. After the clash, the Soviets found where we had buried the three.
They were all dead and their bodies had turned black.
After we interviewed this source, the authors agreed that he should be provided anonymity.
There is no map with this vignette.
o i
c
Morghgiran means "chicken snatchers".