Afghan mujahideen

The diverse Afghan resistance groups that fought the Soviet-backed government and Soviet forces during the Soviet–Afghan War. Their factions differed in ideology, leadership, and foreign support.

Soviet–Afghan War: A 1979–1989 conflict in which Soviet forces supported Afghanistan’s communist government against armed opposition. The war gave these resistance groups their shared battlefield and shaped their military strategy.
Afghanistan: A landlocked country in Central and South Asia with a diverse population and a long history of competing regional powers. Its geography and social diversity shaped the resistance’s local bases and factional divisions.
Ahmad Shah Massoud: An Afghan military and political leader who commanded resistance forces in the Panjshir Valley and later led the Northern Alliance. His forces built a distinct regional resistance network and repeatedly fought Soviet offensives.
Withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan: The completion in February 1989 of the Soviet Union’s military withdrawal from Afghanistan. The withdrawal fulfilled a central wartime objective but left the Afghan government and resistance still fighting.
Peshawar Seven: A coalition of seven Sunni Afghan resistance parties based in Peshawar, Pakistan, during the Soviet–Afghan War. These Pakistan-based parties became the principal channels for external aid to many Sunni factions.
Islamism: A range of political movements that seek to organize society and government in accordance with interpretations of Islam. Islamist ideas informed several leading parties, though the resistance also included other currents.
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar: An Afghan Islamist politician and commander who led Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin. His party was a major resistance faction and later a rival of other mujahideen groups.
Afghan Civil War (1989–1992): The conflict between Afghanistan’s communist government and opposition forces after Soviet troops withdrew. Mujahideen factions continued fighting the government after the Soviet military departure.
Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin: An Islamist Afghan political and armed organization led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar. Its disciplined organization and substantial Pakistani support made it one of the most powerful factions.
Saur Revolution: The April 1978 coup in Afghanistan that brought the communist People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan to power. The government’s reforms and repression helped trigger the armed opposition.

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