The Other Side of the Mountain: Mujahideen Tactics in the Soviet-Afghan War. Ali Ahmad Jalali

As we have throughout our history—the Philippines, Haiti,Nicaragua, Lebanon, Vietnam and Somalia—Marines will encounterguerrilla forces in the 21st century. Marines must understand potentialadversaries, and learn as much as possible about them. Themujahideen of the Soviet-Afghan War prevailed against a larger anddecisively better equipped foe, the Soviet Army. The Other Side of theMountain presents the story of the mujahideen's fight against that foe.

On 27 December 1979, Moscow ordered the Soviet Army into Afghanistan. Organized, equipped, and trained for the execution ofcombined arms operations, that force embodied the concept ofblitzkrieg. Nine years later, it withdrew in defeat. The Other Side ofthe Mountain was written from the reports of mujahideen combat veterans and provides a tactical look at a decentralized army of foot-mobile guerrillas waging war against a technologically superior foe. Absolute supremacy of firepower did not guarantee victory. Native knowledge of terrain and detailed study of a known adversary offsetthat advantage. In particular, the chapter on urban combat will be ofgreat interest to commanders concerned with force protection. This book and its companion volume, The Bear Went Over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics in Afghanistan, published for the United StatesMarine Corps in 1996, offers a chronicle of the Afghan War by the war fighters.

The Marine Corps of the 21st century will have tremendous advan-tages over guerrilla forces. Our equipment, technology, training, and support are the best in the world. Yet, technological superiority is notin and of itself a guarantee of success. Insight into our adversary's capabilities, tactics and motivation will provide the decisive edge. The Other Side of the Mountain will help us gain this insight. I heartily recommend this book to all Marines.

J. E. RHODESCommanding General,Marine Corps Combat Development Command

FOREWORD

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When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan in 1979, few expertsbelieved that the fledgling Mujahideen resistance movement had achance of withstanding the modern, mechanized, technologically-advanced Soviet Army. Most stated that resistance was futile and thatthe Soviet Union had deliberately expanded their empire to the south.The Soviet Union had come to stay. Although some historians lookedat the British experience fighting the Afghan mountain tribesmen,most experts discounted any parallels since the Soviet Union pos-sessed an unprecedented advantage in fire power, technology andmilitary might. Although Arab leaders and the West supplied armsand material to the Mujahideen, they did so with the hope of creat-ing a permanent, bleeding ulcer on the Soviet flank, not defeatingthe Soviet Union. They did not predict that the Soviet Union wouldvoluntarily withdraw from Afghanistan in 1989.

What caused the Soviet withdrawal? The Soviets realized thatthey were trapped in an unwinnable war where they were suffering"death from a thousand cuts" by an intractable enemy who had no hopeof winning, but fought on because it was the right thing to do. Afterfailing to achieve military victory, the Soviet Union cut its losses andwithdrew. The Soviet Union lost 13,833 killed. Over 1.3 millionAfghans died and over a third of the population became refugees. Mosthave not yet returned to war-torn Afghanistan.

There have been few studies of guerrilla warfare from the guer-rilla's perspective. To capture this perspective and the tactical experi-ence of the Mujahideen, the United States Marine Corps commissioned this study and sent two retired combat veterans to interview Mujahideen. The authors were well received and generously assisted by various Mujahideen who willingly talked about their long, bitter war. The authors have produced a unique book which tells the guerrillas' story as interpreted by military professionals. This is a book about small-unit guerrilla combat. This is a book about death and survival, adaptation and perseverance.

This is a book for the combat-arms company and field grade officer and NCO. It provides an understanding of guerrilla field craft, tactics, techniques and procedures. It has application in Basic and AdvancedOfficer and NCO courses as well as special warfare courses. Seniorleaders will also find valuable insights for training and supportingguerrilla forces as well as defending against guerrilla forces. This book is a companion piece to The Bear Went Over the Mountain: Soviet Combat Tactics in Afghanistan which National Defense University press published in 1996.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

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This book would not be possible without the open, friendly and will-ing support of the many Mujahideen we interviewed. We thankMawlawi Abdul-Rahman, Haidar Ahmadi, Mohammad Akbar,Akhtarjhan, Doctor Abdul Qudus Alkozai, Assadullah MohammadAsef, Assadullah, Mawlawi Mohayddin Baloch, Abdul Baqi Balots,Abdul Nasrin Baz, Commander Didar, Daoud, Gulaga Farid, GhulamFarouq, Pir Syed Ahmad Gailani, Haji Zaman Ghamsharik, AbdulGhani, Sofi Lal Gul, Wazir Gul, Tsaranwal Sher Habib, HajiHabibulah, Ghulam Haidar, Haji Sayed Mohammad Hanif, MawlaliNezamuddin Haqani, Hedayatullah, Toryalai Hemat, EngineerMohammad Ibrahim, Mohammad Shah Kako, Asef Khan, Asil Khan,Haji Badshah Khan, Nawaz Khan, Counsel General Haji AbdulKhaleq, Haji Badshah Khan, Major Sher Aqa Kochay, Lalai, MullaMalang, Haji Malangyar, Akhtar Mohammad, Amir Mohammad, HajiLal Mohammad, Haji Pir Mohammad, Engineer Sayed Mohammad,Qari Feda Mohammad, Sultan Mohammad, Mohammad AminMudaqeq, Haji Nematullah, Lieutenant Zabet Omar, Sher Padshah,Haji Abdul Qader, Akhund Zada Qasem, Mawlawi Qasem, LTC HajiMohammad Rahim, Abdul Razek, Mohammad Saber, Abdul Sabur,Doctor Mohammad Sadeq, Amin Safi, Haji Aaquelshah Sahak, AbdulSadiq Sahebzada, Sarshar, Haji Mohammad Seddiq, Shahabuddin,Haji Mohammad Shah, Mohammad Humayun Shahin, MawlawiAbdul Shukur Yasini, Haji Sidiqullah, Qazi Guljan Tayeb, GeneralAbdul Rahim Wardak, Doctor Mohammad Wakil, Doctor MohammadWali, Haji Mohammad Yakub, General Gulzarak Zadran and Zakarifor generously sharing their time and experience.

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