46th Anniversary of the Soviet Military Invasion of Afghanistan
Today, on the 6th of Dey, marks the 46th anniversary of the Soviet Union’s military invasion of Afghanistan, an attack that began in 1979 and profoundly altered the country’s political and social fate for years to come.
On 6th Dey 1358 (December 27, 1979), the Soviet army, with approximately 25,000 troops, simultaneously entered Afghanistan via land and air routes. During this operation, Hafizullah Amin was killed, and Babrak Karmal, backed directly by Moscow, rose to power.
This invasion was met with widespread resistance from the mujahideen and the Afghan people, forcing the Soviet Union to increase its troop numbers to over 100,000 soldiers within a short time. Despite this, conflicts spread throughout the country, turning the war into a protracted and exhausting struggle.
The Afghan people’s jihad against the Soviet occupation lasted nearly a decade. During this period, heavy bombings and military operations caused more than 1.5 million Afghan citizens to be killed, wounded, or disabled. Simultaneously, millions more were forced to seek refuge in neighboring countries to save their lives.
Ultimately, the pressure from popular resistance and the heavy military and political costs forced the Soviet Union to withdraw. Soviet forces left Afghanistan on 26th Dalw 1367 (February 15, 1989), an event regarded as a significant factor in the weakening and collapse of the Soviet Empire and the end of the Cold War.
