Afghan Civil War (1989–1992)
The 1989–1992 Afghan Civil War, also known as the First Afghan Civil War, took place between the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan and the end of the Soviet–Afghan War on 15 February 1989 until 27 April 1992, ending the day after the proclamation of the Peshawar Accords proclaiming a new interim Afghan government which was supposed to start serving on 28 April 1992.
First Afghan Civil War | |||||||
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Part of the Cold War, Revolutions of 1989, Dissolution of the Soviet Union, and Afghan conflict | |||||||
Afghanistan in 1989, following the Soviet withdrawal | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Republic of Afghanistan
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Khalq (1990) Foreign Mujahideen:
Various factions also fought among each other Supported by: | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Mohammad Najibullah Shahnawaz Tanai (until 1990) (attempted coup, fled Afghanistan) Nazar Mohammed (attempted coup, fled Afghanistan) Abdul Rashid Dostum (until 1991) (AWOL) Mohammad Aslam Watanjar Mohammad Nabi Azimi Nur ul-Haq Ulumi Abdul Jabar Qahraman General Barakzai † Khushal Peroz Ismatullah Muslim # Fazal Haq Khaliqyar Makhmut Gareev |
Ahmad Shah Massoud Abdul Rashid Dostum (from 1992) | ||||||
Strength | |||||||
Afghan Army: 150,000 (1990) National Guard:
All forces under the control of the Republic Of Afghanistan: Around 515,000 (1990), including paramilitary Sarandoy, and KHAD Militia forces: up to 170,000 (1991) |
Mujahadeen:
Unknown | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
14,864 killed (per UCDP) |
Mujahideen groups, some of them more or less united as part of the "Afghan Interim Government", in the years 1989–1992 proclaimed as their conviction that they were battling the hostile "puppet regime" of the Republic of Afghanistan in Kabul. In March 1989, the "Afghan Interim Government" in cooperation with the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) attacked the city of Jalalabad but they were defeated by June in what is now known as the Battle of Jalalabad. Hekmatyar's Hezbi Islami would pull their support for the Afghan Interim Government following the loss in Jalalabad.
In March 1991, a mujahideen coalition quickly conquered the city of Khost. In March 1992, having lost the last remnants of Soviet support, President Mohammad Najibullah agreed to step aside and make way for a mujahideen coalition government. One mujahideen group, Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin, refused to confer and discuss a coalition government under the Pakistani sponsored Peshawar Peace Accords and invaded Kabul with the help of Khalqist Generals. This triggered a civil war, starting on 25 April 1992, between initially three, but within weeks five or six mujahideen groups or armies.