Afghanistan Peace CampaignThe war lasted over nine years and an estimated one million civilians, including children, were killed. In this war 14,000 Soviet soldiers were killed.
Thursday, the 26th of Dalw (February 15), is the 35th anniversary of the withdrawal of the Red Army of the former Soviet Union from Afghanistan.
In 1979 the Soviet Union entered then neighboring Afghanistan with the hope of shoring up the newly-established pro-Soviet regime in Kabul. Very soon almost 100,000 Soviet Union soldiers took control of major cities and highways around the country, but war soon broke out with the rise of the Mujahideen.
The war lasted over nine years and an estimated one million civilians, including children, were killed. In this war 14,000 Soviet soldiers were killed.
“During more than nine years of the occupation of Afghanistan by the Soviet Union, about one and a half million Afghans were martyred and about another 1.5 million were forced to emigrate,” said Samiullah Ahamdzai, a political analyst.
From the very beginning of the Red Army’s campaign in Afghanistan, the UN called for its unconditional and immediate withdrawal.
“It was a global program between East and West. Developing nations had no say in this, but regrettably, we became the prey of their Cold War,” said Moeen Gul Samkanai, a political analyst.
The Islamic Emirate in a statement, said the anniversary of their leaving is a proud day in the country’s history.
“The people of Afghanistan were freed from the Soviet occupation on this day. The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan extends its congratulations to all Afghans on this day. Moreover, now the people of Afghanistan have their freedom and independence,” said Zabihullah Mujahid, the spokesman for the Islamic Emirate.
But after their withdrawal, peace in Afghanistan remained elusive as civil war broke out. This lasted for about 10 years.
On 15 February 1989, the former Soviet Union announced its complete withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, ending a more than nine-year war that claimed the lives of millions of Afghans.
General Gromov was the last of almost 100,000 Soviet Union troops to be withdrawn from Afghanistan and walked across the “Bridge of Friendship” between Afghanistan and the then USSR.