The KHAD (Afghan version of the KGB)

[hist2004]

The Afghan KHAD

The State Secret Police or KHAD (khedamati i Dalati, meaning Intelligence and Security) consisted of separate combat
units, as well as irregular units which masqueraded as lawless mujahideen, traders, clergymen, or bandit groups, in order
to provoke fighting among true resistance groups, to tarnish the image of the rebels in the eyes of the people, and to
collect information. Many of the KHAD personnel were trained in the Soviet Union or by Soviet specialists. KHAD
personnel were paid up to ten times as much as the average government worker, so they were able to attract a steady
flow of manpower. KHAD agent systematically infiltrated rebel groups in Afghanistan and the refugee camps. There
they were able to sow dissension, carry out the occasional assassination, plant false information and keep the Soviets
informed of rebel plans and movements. The mujahideen typically took ferocious revenge against any agents they
discovered. KHAD units took part in special reprisal raids, impressments, apprehensions, searches and sanctions
against known or suspected enemies of the state. The strength of the secret police averaged about 20,000.

Hist2004

[TR1]

nice. do you have anything on the role of Afghan aviators in the war? Although primarily a soviet effort, air support was also widely carried out by Afghan air force pilots.

[hist2004]

nice. do you have anything on the role of Afghan aviators in the war? Although primarily a soviet effort, air support was also widely carried out by Afghan air force pilots.
I do, but it’s not very flattering, along with the general consensus of the Soviets
towards Afghan officers & other ranks. If you like, I can put it in a separate
thread.

Hist2004

[TR1]

That would be nice. Although the general consensus among Soviet forces was that the Afghni air force was not great, I was just reading a book about the Hind...and it talked about a certain Captain Sarwar, an Afghani Mi-24 pilot, who accomplished some pretty crazy things.

Once, apparently he was flying with a wingman when a Stinger was launched at them. They took evasive maneuvers, the missles missed, but the captain noticed where the launch site was, and while his wingman distarcted the bandits, Sarwar landed some space off, and using assault rifles and grenades, snuck up behind the bandit emplacment and took them all out.

[Zapp Brannigan]

The Afghan KHAD

The State Secret Police or KHAD (khedamati i Dalati, meaning Intelligence and Security) consisted of separate combat

KhAD was the the Khedamat-e Etela'at-e Dawlati, State Information Agency - خدمت اطلاعات دولتی

In the late 1980s it was elevated to ministry-level and renamed WAD, the Ministry of State Security, or Wazarat-e Amniat-e Dawlati - وزارت امنیت دولتی