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

Chapter 1, Vignette 16 Page 65
Ten men cannot adequately handle four mortars, let alone eight.
The Soviets contributed to their own disaster. The forward security
element "cleared" the area by simply driving through it and since
they were not fired on, they assumed that it was safe. This was a
favorite Mujahideen ambush site complete with well-prepared positions.
The Mujahideen had conducted several ambushes from this very
site in the past. As a minimum, the Soviets should have sent a force to
destroy the positions prior to the convoy departure. Then, the forward
security element should have dismounted some troops to search the
area for possible ambush and held it until the convoy passed. The forward
security element further contributed to the disaster by stopping
within anti-tank weapons range (300-800 meters) in an area where the
terrain restricted vehicular movement and waiting for the convoy to
catch up to it. When the Mujahideen fired on these stationary targets,
the forward security element became a burning blockade which
trapped the convoy. Had the forward security element moved well
ahead of the convoy, it would have allowed part of the convoy to escape
south and enabled the forward security element to return to provide
fire power to help extricate the trapped vehicles. Had the forward
security element moved off the road to the west and taken up covered
positions out of anti-tank weapons range, it could have provided considerable
immediate firepower to the convoy.
CHAPTER COMMENTARY
The Mujahideen conducted ambushes for harassment or for spoils.
Often, harassing ambushes were small-scale ambushes which would
only fire a few rounds into the convoy to destroy or damage some vehicles.
Then the ambushers would withdraw without attempting to loot
the column before the convoy commander could react. Ambushes conducted
for spoils (weapons, ammunition, food, clothing and other military
supplies) were normally conducted by larger forces who could
maintain their positions for up to an hour. Still, the ambush was a
short-term action designed to capitalize on surprise and terrain. Road
blocks, discussed in a later chapter, were designed to fight the enemy
to a standstill and prevent his passage for an extended period of time.
Ambushes for spoils were essential to maintaining the Mujahideen
in the field. Mujahideen were unpaid volunteers. Most of them had
family responsibilities. Normally all captured heavy weapons and
l/5th of the spoils went to the commander. The other 4/5ths was divided
among the Mujahideen combatants. Many Mujahideen would take