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

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Chapter 14, Vignette 13 Page 395<br />

My gunner aimed, chanted and fired <strong>the</strong> RPG-7. The rocket flew,<br />

but <strong>in</strong>stead of hitt<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> second floor, it hit <strong>the</strong> fourth floor. A major<br />

commotion ensued, but no one fired at us. We immediately left <strong>the</strong><br />

area and withdrew to our base. Later on, we were told that more than<br />

20 people had been killed or wounded by our attack.<br />

COMMENTARY: There are better sites for weapons <strong>in</strong>struction and qualification<br />

than <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> middle of a mission. In this case, <strong>the</strong> target was<br />

large enough that it was difficult to miss. Still, <strong>the</strong> gunner was off by<br />

two stories. Tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g to standard was a constant problem for<br />

<strong>Mujahideen</strong> commanders. The best tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g was conducted <strong>in</strong> tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g<br />

camps <strong>in</strong> Pakistan or <strong>in</strong> mounta<strong>in</strong> bases. Unless urban guerrillas were<br />

sent out for tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g, <strong>the</strong>y had very little live-fire tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g o<strong>the</strong>r than<br />

actual combat. Usually, urban guerrillas would detail a large security<br />

party to hold <strong>the</strong> withdrawal route. In this case, <strong>the</strong> five-man team<br />

relied on local contacts to watch <strong>the</strong> area ra<strong>the</strong>r than post<strong>in</strong>g route<br />

security.

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