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

Glossary Page 413
Shia—The minority Islamic community in Afghanistan following the
Imami Shiism (the dominant faith in neighboring Iran) or
Ismaili Shiism.
SKS—(Samozaryadiy karabin Simonova}) gas-operated semi-automatic
Soviet carbine with a folding bayonet. It has a ten-shot magazine
stnd fires the 7.62x39 cartridge to a maximum range of
1000 meters with a 400 meter effective range. The first models
were fielded in 1931 and it was a standard weapon of the Soviet
Army during World War II through the early 1950s. The
Mujahideen simply called them carbines.
SOP—Standard operating procedures.
Spetsnaz—Soviet forces trained for long-range reconnaissance, commando
and special forces type combat.
Sufi—A mystic branch of Islam with considerable influence in
Afghanistan. Sufis are more widespread among Sunnis.
Sunni—The majority Islamic community in Afghanistan. Over twothirds
of the populace are Sunnis, followers of the Hanafi
School.
Tadjik—Ethnic Afghans from the northeastern regions of Afghanistan
who make up about 25% of the population.
Tsadar—All purpose cloth that Afghans carry and wear. It serves as
a ground cloth, sleeping bag, camouflage covering, bundle wrap
and shroud.
Uzbek—Ethnic Afghans primarily in the north central part of
Afghanistan who make up 10% of the population and speak
Turkic.
WIA--Wounded in Action.
ZGU—(Zenitnaya gornaya ustanovka}) Mountain air defense weapons
mount. Any Soviet air defense weapon that can disassembled
for transport into the mountains by pack animals or porters.
Usually this means that the weapons mount or pedestal has no
wheels.
ZGU-1—A ZPU-1 mounted on a ZGU mount.
ZPU-1—A Soviet 14.5mm ground-mounted antiaircraft machine gun
which is towed on a light, two-wheeled carriage. The system is
built around a single-barreled KPV heavy machine gun which
has a cyclic rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute and a practi-