Afghanistan Peace CampaignThe Soviet Union’s more than nine-year presence in Afghanistan is believed to have led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
Today, Friday, the 26th of Dalwa (February 14), marks the 36th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Thirty-six years ago today, after nine years in Afghanistan and as a result of the people’s struggles, the Soviet military forces were forced to leave Afghanistan.
“Babrak Karmal was in Kabul when the Soviet forces left Afghanistan. According to decisions made inside the country and in Moscow, Dr. Najibullah came to power,” said Hadi Quraishi, a military analyst.
The Soviet Union’s more than nine-year presence in Afghanistan is believed to have led to the collapse of the Soviet Union.
This war claimed the lives of nearly two million people and caused thousands more to become disabled.
“On the 6th of Jaddi, when they arrived in military attire, there was war, and in that battle, Russian soldiers were killed,” said Abdul Wahed Taqat, a political analyst.
Mohammad Yaseen, one of the commanders who fought against the Soviet Union’s forces, was severely injured during this struggle. He shares his stories from that time.
He said: “When a bullet was fired near us, small fragments came towards me, hitting my eye and destroying my teeth.”
“For nearly three years, we fought with empty hands and old rifles against the enemy,” said Abubakr, a resident of Herat.
Finally, on Wednesday, the 26th of Dalwa, 1367 (1989), and nine months after the implementation of the Geneva Accords, General Boris Gromov, commander of the 40th Soviet Army Division, was the last Soviet soldier to cross the friendship bridge over the Amu River, between Afghanistan and Uzbekistan, officially declaring the end of the Soviet Union’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.