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تصویر بندانگشتی

Afghans Remember Soviet Invasion as ‘Dark Day’

Afghans this week marked the 41st anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, calling it a “dark day” in the modern history of the country that led to devastating wars in Afghanistan. 

Afghan politicians said that a lack of national consensus and the unending interference of outsiders prolonged the war in the country after the withdrawal of soviet troops in 1989. 

In December 1979, Soviet Union troops entered Afghanistan from different directions including Torghundi, Hairatan and Sherkhan border crossings. 

Sayed Hassan, a former mujahideen member, fought for years against the Soviet forces for his country. He said Afghans fought against the Russian occupation so that they can breathe in peace and freedom, but nothing changed on the ground after the soviet forces left the country.  

“We are still grappling with the war and the disappointment continues. There is no hope to say that this country will move towards peace and stability,” Hassan said. 

“All the miseries and the insecurity that we have are the legacy of ‘Khalqi’ and ‘Parchami’ (two main wings of soviet-backed The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan),” said Allah Gul Mujahid, a former mujahideen commander. “The 6th of Jadi is a historic day. On this day, Russians attacked Afghanistan. This is a dark day. We lost millions of martyrs.”  

Meanwhile, the day was marked at an event in Kabul by Jamiat-e-Islami party of Afghanistan.  

Addressing the event, Ahmad Zia Massoud, the deputy head of Jamiat-e-Islami, said the peace talks will not have an outcome unless Pakistan is convinced by the United States and the international community to bring the Taliban to a democratic process.  

Analysts said that the crisis in the country can end when unity among Afghans is strengthened. 

“National unity among Afghans and growth of knowledge among the Afghans can help us to settle down the crisis,” university lecturer Nasrullah Stanekzai said. 

The Russian invasion lasted nine years and an estimated one million civilians--including children--were killed, along with 90,000 mujahideen fighters, more than 20,000 Afghan troops and over 14,000 Soviet soldiers. 

During the years of the Russian invasion in Afghanistan more than one million people were maimed and around seven million others were forced to quit homes and run for survival.  

Hours after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan, Hafizullah Amin was poisoned at a treat in Darulaman in Kabul.  

Soon after his death, Babrak Karmal was declared as the Afghan President through radio Afghanistan.  

In the freedom struggle of Afghan people against Russian forces more than 13,000 Soviet troops lost their lives.  

Because of international pressure, Soviet troops finally started pulling out and the last troops left Afghanistan in January 1989.  

After the withdrawal of Russian forces, Afghanistan entered into a new era of devastating civil war. The civil war lasted for a decade and then the Taliban emerged and took over the country. The Taliban’s regime lasted for five years.  

On September 11, al Qaeda launched attacks on the US. The then US president George W. Bush decided to attack Afghanistan which finally led to the collapse of the Taliban regime after the group rejected to handover Osma Bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda to the US.  

Afghans Remember Soviet Invasion as ‘Dark Day’

Some Afghans said the soviet invasion was laid the foundation for decades of war in Afghanistan. 

تصویر بندانگشتی

Afghans this week marked the 41st anniversary of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, calling it a “dark day” in the modern history of the country that led to devastating wars in Afghanistan. 

Afghan politicians said that a lack of national consensus and the unending interference of outsiders prolonged the war in the country after the withdrawal of soviet troops in 1989. 

In December 1979, Soviet Union troops entered Afghanistan from different directions including Torghundi, Hairatan and Sherkhan border crossings. 

Sayed Hassan, a former mujahideen member, fought for years against the Soviet forces for his country. He said Afghans fought against the Russian occupation so that they can breathe in peace and freedom, but nothing changed on the ground after the soviet forces left the country.  

“We are still grappling with the war and the disappointment continues. There is no hope to say that this country will move towards peace and stability,” Hassan said. 

“All the miseries and the insecurity that we have are the legacy of ‘Khalqi’ and ‘Parchami’ (two main wings of soviet-backed The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan),” said Allah Gul Mujahid, a former mujahideen commander. “The 6th of Jadi is a historic day. On this day, Russians attacked Afghanistan. This is a dark day. We lost millions of martyrs.”  

Meanwhile, the day was marked at an event in Kabul by Jamiat-e-Islami party of Afghanistan.  

Addressing the event, Ahmad Zia Massoud, the deputy head of Jamiat-e-Islami, said the peace talks will not have an outcome unless Pakistan is convinced by the United States and the international community to bring the Taliban to a democratic process.  

Analysts said that the crisis in the country can end when unity among Afghans is strengthened. 

“National unity among Afghans and growth of knowledge among the Afghans can help us to settle down the crisis,” university lecturer Nasrullah Stanekzai said. 

The Russian invasion lasted nine years and an estimated one million civilians--including children--were killed, along with 90,000 mujahideen fighters, more than 20,000 Afghan troops and over 14,000 Soviet soldiers. 

During the years of the Russian invasion in Afghanistan more than one million people were maimed and around seven million others were forced to quit homes and run for survival.  

Hours after Soviet forces invaded Afghanistan, Hafizullah Amin was poisoned at a treat in Darulaman in Kabul.  

Soon after his death, Babrak Karmal was declared as the Afghan President through radio Afghanistan.  

In the freedom struggle of Afghan people against Russian forces more than 13,000 Soviet troops lost their lives.  

Because of international pressure, Soviet troops finally started pulling out and the last troops left Afghanistan in January 1989.  

After the withdrawal of Russian forces, Afghanistan entered into a new era of devastating civil war. The civil war lasted for a decade and then the Taliban emerged and took over the country. The Taliban’s regime lasted for five years.  

On September 11, al Qaeda launched attacks on the US. The then US president George W. Bush decided to attack Afghanistan which finally led to the collapse of the Taliban regime after the group rejected to handover Osma Bin Laden, the leader of al Qaeda to the US.  

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