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

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

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Page 22 The O<strong>the</strong>r Side of <strong>the</strong> Mounta<strong>in</strong>: <strong>Mujahideen</strong> <strong>Tactics</strong> <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Soviet</strong>-<strong>Afghan</strong> <strong>War</strong><br />

uated <strong>the</strong>ir dead. The follow<strong>in</strong>g day, <strong>the</strong> DRA came and towed <strong>the</strong><br />

damaged armored vehicles away.<br />

COMMENTARY: The <strong>Mujahideen</strong> were unpaid volunteers, so <strong>the</strong> money<br />

truck was a real boon. <strong>Mujahideen</strong> still had to support <strong>the</strong>ir families,<br />

so normally all heavy weapons and l/5th of <strong>the</strong> loot from an ambush or<br />

raid went to <strong>the</strong> commander. The o<strong>the</strong>r 4/5ths was divided among <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>Mujahideen</strong> combatants. Some <strong>Mujahideen</strong> would take <strong>the</strong>ir captured<br />

Kalashnikovs to Pakistan where <strong>the</strong>y would sell <strong>the</strong>m and give <strong>the</strong><br />

money to <strong>the</strong>ir families to live on. Governments support<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />

<strong>Mujahideen</strong> would buy <strong>the</strong> weapons <strong>in</strong> Pakistan's bazaars and give<br />

<strong>the</strong>m to <strong>Mujahideen</strong> faction leaders for distribution.<br />

LTC Rahim's military professionalism shows throughout this<br />

vignette. His ambush lay down is by <strong>the</strong> book and very effective. He<br />

might have blown <strong>the</strong> bridge <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> middle of <strong>the</strong> kill zone, but that<br />

would have meant that a guarded bridge repair crew would be<br />

near his base camp for an <strong>in</strong>def<strong>in</strong>ite period of time imped<strong>in</strong>g his freedom<br />

of movement.

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