The Afghanistan War
Timeline

(1979-1989)

 

The Soviet-Afghan War

This section will focus on a brief year by year time line of significant events during the Soviet intervention in Afghanistan.  The costs of the war in both men and equipment are also listed here.  To navigate this section simply click on the year at right to see the events of that period.

Chronology of the Afghan War

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Afghan War Main Page

 

1978

24 April

Coup engineered by Nur Mohammed Tataki and Amin is successful and deposes Mohammed Daoud Khan.  Between 1000 and 2000 are killed in coup.  The new rulers welcome Soviet aid to boost nation's weak, feudal economy and to help with agrarian reforms.

1979

March 15-21

Soon dissatisfaction with the Soviet-backed regime turned to action as anti-communist demonstrators seized the town of Herat near the Iranian border. The Afghan 15th division is ordered to restore the situation but soon joins the opposition. As many as 200 Soviet civilians and advisers butchered in Herat.  Herat is then bombed by Afghans and Soviet planes leaving an estimated 5000 afghani dead.

April

Soviet-piloted Mi-24 helicopters support a DRA Army offensive in the Kunar valley which kills an estimated 1000 when the village of Kerala is razed.

17 May

Afghan mechanized brigade from the 7th division defects to the resistance.

July

Battalion of Soviet paratroopers lands in Bagram airbase to protect the Soviet helicopter force.

August

5th brigade of the 9th Afghan division mutinies and joins the resistance in the Kunar valley.

August-October

General Pavlovskiy, chief of ground forces, leads a group of 50 soviet officers on a planning reconnaissance throughout Afghanistan.

14 September

Primer Minister Amin's faction kills president Taraki in a gun battle.

October

Insurrection in Afghan 7th division.

Soviet forces begin mobilizing within Turkistan Military District.

24 December

Soviet airborne division begins air landing in Kaboul.

27 December

Soviet divisions cross border and begin advance south along the eastern and western highways. Soviet airborne and spetsnaz forces overthrow government and kill Amin the president.

28 December

Babrak Karmal declared new president of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan.

1980

    Soviet Invasion is condemned by United Nations General Assembly, the Non-Aligned Movement, and the Organization of Islamic Nations.

1 January

Kandahar revolts and Soviet citizens and troops are hacked to pieces.

21 February

Protests against the Soviet occupation in Kabul.  Hundreds are killed and thousands are arrested.  Anti-Soviet riot in Shindand put down by Soviet forces.

February

Soviet sweep of Kunar valley

March

Soviet push into Paktia results in the loss of a soviet battalion. Soviet sweep of Kunar valley.

April

Soviet offensive in Pandshir valley.

May

Soviet sweep of Ghazni and of Kunar valley.

June

Soviet sweep of Ghazni valley.

September

Pandsher I - Soviet forces sweep the Kunar valley.

October

Pandshir II - Operation to eliminate forces missed during Pandsher I.

November

Soviet sweep of Kunar valley.  Soviet sweep of Wardak province.  Lowgar valley offensive until mid-December.

1981

February-May

Fighting in Kandahar.

April

Pandsher III.

June-July:

Nangahar offensive.

4 July

108th MRD offensive in Sarobi Valley. Heavy fighting in Herat.

August

Operation Pandsher IV.

5 September

5th MRD offensive in Farah province.

5 October

MRD sweeps around Herat. Unsuccessful DRA operation at Marmoul Gorge, Balkh province.  Soviet offensive in Kandahar.

December

Combined sweeps with DRA and 66th MRB in Nangahar.  Fighting in Herat.

1982

January

Fighting in Herat.

February

City fighting in Kandahar

May

Pandshir V, largest operation yet launched in retaliation for attack on Bagram air base.108th MRD governing headquarters for composite force drawn from 3 divisions (108th MRD, 201st MRD and 103rd ABD)

July

Sweep against Paghman hills near Kaboul

August-September

Pandshir VI

November

Laghman valley offensive

  2 November 1000+ people killed during bombing of Salang Tunnel.

1983

January

Lowgar valley offensive. Soviets negotiate cease-fire in Pandshir valley.

April

Sweeps around Herat

June

Ghazni offensive.

August

Paktia province offensive.

November

Shomali offensive.

1984

April

Gora Tepa offensive. end of cease-fire in Pandsher valley.

Pandsher VII, largest offensive yet, launched under control of 108th MRD. Operation also includes push up Andarab valley and Alishang valley. Soviets garrison lower valley and fighting continues throughout summer.

June

Lowgar valley offensive.  Herat and Kandahar offensives.

July-August

Lowgar and Shomali valley offensive.

August-October

Relief of Ali kheil garrison in Paktia by 70th MRB and 345th ABR.

September

Pandsher VIII.

October

Fighting in Herat.

November

Paktia operation.

December

Kunar valley offensive with 66th MRB and 345th ABR lasts until February.

1985

April

Maidan valley offensive

May-June

Kunar offensive and relief of Barikot garrison

June

Pandsher IX launched in retaliation for fall of Pechgur

July

Heavy fighting in Herat and Kandahar

August-September

Paktia offensive. Largest offensive since Pandsher VII, relieved Khost but failed to take Zhawar base

1986

March

Offensive around Andkhoy

April

Paktia offensive takes Zhawar

May

Offensive in the Arghandab near Kandahar

June

Khejob valley offensive

August

Lowgar valley offensive

October

6 Soviet regiments withdrawn from Afghanistan.

November

66th MRB offensive in Naizan valley

1987

January-February

Temporary cease-fire for national reconciliation

May-June

Arghandab offensive. Paktia offensive near Jadji

14 July

Loss of Kalafghan garrison in Takhar province

November-January

Operation Magistral to relieve Khost

1988

March

Offensive to relieve Urgun in Paktia province

April

Kandahar to Ghazni offensive

14 April

Geneva accords signed

April

Soviet withdrawal from Barikot, upper Kunar valley and Alikhel, Chowni and Chamakani in Paktia, Qalat in Zaboul

May

66th MRB withdrawal from Jalalabad

15 October

Half of Soviet force withdrawn

1989

15 February

Last Soviet combat units withdrawn from Afghanistan.