کارگران جهان متحد شوید ("Working men of all nations, unite!") | ||||||||||||
| Anthem | "گرم شه, لا گرم شه" | |||||||||||
| Capital (and largest city) |
Kabul | |||||||||||
| Other cities | Herat, Kandahar, Jalalabad | |||||||||||
| Language | Dari, Pashto | |||||||||||
| Religion | State atheism (until 1980) Islam (1980-onward) | |||||||||||
| Government | Unitary Marxist-Leninist one-party socialist republic (1979–87) Unitary Islamic-socialist dominant-party republic (1987-93) | |||||||||||
| Legislature | Revolutionary Council | |||||||||||
| General Secretary | Mohammad Najibullah | |||||||||||
| Area | 647,500 km² | |||||||||||
| Population | 13,811,900 | |||||||||||
| Currency | Afghan afghani (AFA) | |||||||||||
The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA) was a pro-Soviet nation located in South Asia. The country was formed in 1973 as a republic by Dauod Khan, who overthrew the monarchy in a bloodless coup.
History[]
Formation[]
Soviet Premier Leonid Brezhnev started fomenting a Communist rebellion, which toppled Daoud Khan's government and assassinated him in April 1978, sparking an all-out civil war among different factions. The infighting caused the Soviets to invade Afghanistan to intervene in its civil war, backing the DRA government. In response, the USA, UK, West Germany, Saudi Arabia, and China funded and armed - by way of the ISI of Pakistan - the Mujahideen, a hodgepodge of different factions united in fighting the Soviets. Meanwhile, Iran funded and armed the pro-Shia Mujahideen factions.
World War III[]
Afghanistan was in the middle of its civil war when World War III broke out in Europe in June 4, 1989. Soviet soldiers, armor, and aircraft already in the country were ordered to remain in so to assist the DRA against the mujahideen. Since the Soviet Army was not yet overextended, counterinsurgency operations continued. The mujahideen fought hard nonetheless, receiving various Pakistani and CIA-MI6 weapons and funds.
The Taliban along with Islamic terrorist group Al-Qaeda was formed around 1988 in Afghanistan. Its members were composed of mujahideen fighters that mixed with the various opposing factions.
By mid-1990, China joined the war on the side of the Soviet Union. The result was the end of Chinese covert aid to the mujahideen. However, the PLA did not cross the border into Afghanistan to help the pro-Soviet DRA regime as it was embroidered in its own battles against the Republic of Korea, Japan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Australia, and the U.S. As it became clear the entire world was against the Soviet Union and China, the mujahideen continued their war-of-attrition against Soviet and DRA forces. This would continue on until the Soviet Union and its allies surrendered to NATO in late 1990. The Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan in 1993, leaving the DRA on its own. However, the DRA's problems intensified as the Taliban grew in strength.
Collapse[]
In 1993, following countless battles between the DRA and the Taliban (backed by Al-Qaeda), it was determined that a new government needed to take its place. Mohammad Najibullah then agreed for a peace process with the mujahideen, led by Ahmad Shah Massoud. Following a series of negotiations, the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was declared dissolved a new provisional government called the Afghan Coalition Government (ACG) was established to oversee the return to peaceful rule. Unfortunately, the Taliban continued their insurgency, thus beginning the next phase of the Afghan Civil War.
Politics[]
Military[]
The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan had an army and an air force that made up its armed forces. The Soviet Union was its primary supplier and hence the DRA operated mainly Soviet equipment, both surplus and the new ones at that time. Soldiers of the DRA mainly used the AK-47, AKM, and the AK-74 as their standard issue rifle and operated the BMP, BTR-60, BTR-80, T-55, T-62, and T-72s as its armored vehicle and tank fleet. Its air force operated MiG-21 Fishbeds, Su-24 Flankers, Mi-8 Hips, and Mi-24 Hinds.