Afghanistan is a country that has been the sphere of interest of the most important players in world politics for more than 200 years. Its name is firmly entrenched in the list of the most dangerous hot spots on our planet. However, only a few people know the history of Afghanistan, which is briefly described in this article. In addition, over several millennia its people created a rich culture close to the Persian, which this moment is in decline due to constant political and economic instability, as well as terrorist activities of radical Islamist organizations.

History of Afghanistan since ancient times

The first people appeared on the territory of this country about 5000 years ago. Most researchers even believe that it was there that the world's first settled rural communities arose. In addition, it is assumed that Zoroastrianism appeared in modern territory Afghanistan between 1800 and 800 BC, and the founder of the religion, which is one of the oldest, spent last years his life and died in Balkh.

In the middle of the 6th century BC. e. The Achaemenids included these lands. However, after 330 BC. e. it was captured by the army of Alexander the Great. Afghanistan was part of his state until its collapse, and then became part of the Seleucid empire, which introduced Buddhism there. The region then fell under the rule of the Greco-Bactrian Kingdom. By the end of the 2nd century AD. e. The Indo-Greeks were defeated by the Scythians, and in the first century AD. e. Afghanistan was conquered by the Parthian Empire.

Middle Ages

In the 6th century, the territory of the country became part of and later the Samanids. Then Afghanistan, whose history practically did not know long periods of peace, experienced an Arab invasion that ended at the end of the 8th century.

Over the next 9 centuries, the country changed hands frequently until it became part of the Timurid Empire in the 14th century. During this period, Herat became the second center of this state. After 2 centuries, the last representative of the Timurid dynasty, Babur, founded an empire centered in Kabul and began to make campaigns in India. Soon he moved to India, and the territory of Afghanistan became part of the Safavid country.

The decline of this state in the 18th century led to the formation of feudal khanates and a revolt against Iran. During the same period, the Gilzean principality was formed with its capital in the city of Kandahar, which was defeated in 1737 by the Persian army of Nadir Shah.

Durrani Power

Oddly enough, Afghanistan (you already know the history of the country in ancient times) acquired independent statehood only in 1747, when Ahmad Shah Durrani founded a kingdom with its capital in Kandahar. Under his son Timur Shah, Kabul was proclaimed the main city of the state, and by the beginning of the 19th century, Shah Mahmud began to rule the country.

British colonial expansion

The history of Afghanistan from ancient times to the beginning of the 19th century is fraught with many mysteries, since many of its pages have been studied relatively poorly. The same cannot be said about the period after the invasion of its territory by Anglo-Indian troops. The “new masters” of Afghanistan loved order and carefully documented all events. In particular, from surviving documents, as well as from letters from British soldiers and officers to their families, details are known not only of battles and uprisings of the local population, but also of their life and traditions.

So, the history of the war in Afghanistan, which began in 1838. A few months later, a 12,000-strong British group stormed Kandahar, and a little later Kabul. The emir avoided a collision with a superior enemy and went into the mountains. However, its representatives constantly visited the capital, and in 1841 unrest began among the local population in Kabul. The British command decided to retreat to India, but on the way the army was killed by Afghan partisans. The response was a brutal punitive raid.

First Anglo-Afghan War

The reason for the start of hostilities from outside British Empire was the dispatch of Lieutenant Vitkevich to Kabul by the Russian government in 1837. There he was supposed to be a resident under Dost Mohammed, who seized power in the Afghan capital. The latter at that time had already been fighting for more than 10 years with his closest relative Shuja Shah, who was supported by London. The British regarded Vitkevich's mission as Russia's intention to gain a foothold in Afghanistan in order to penetrate India in the future.

In January 1839 british army numbering 12 thousand military personnel and 38 thousand servants, on 30,000 camels, crossed the Bolan Pass. On April 25, she managed to take Kandahar without a fight and launch an attack on Kabul.

Only the Ghazni fortress offered serious resistance to the British, but it too was forced to surrender. The route to Kabul was opened, and the city fell on August 7, 1839. With the support of the British, Emir Shuja Shah reigned on the throne, and Emir Dost Mohammed fled to the mountains with a small group of fighters.

The rule of the British protege did not last long, as local feudal lords organized unrest and began to attack the invaders in all regions of the country.

At the beginning of 1842, the British and Indians agreed with them to open a corridor through which they could retreat to India. However, at Jalalabad, the Afghans attacked the British, and out of 16,000 fighters, only one escaped.

In response, punitive expeditions followed, and after the suppression of the uprising, the British entered into negotiations with Dost Mohammed, persuading him to abandon rapprochement with Russia. Later a peace treaty was signed.

Second Anglo-Afghan War

The situation in the country remained relatively stable until the outbreak of Russian-Turkish war. Afghanistan, whose history is a long list of armed conflicts, has once again found itself between two fires. The fact is that when London expressed dissatisfaction with the success of the Russian troops, which were quickly moving towards Istanbul, St. Petersburg decided to play the Indian card. For this purpose, a mission was sent to Kabul, which was received with honors by Emir Sher Ali Khan. On the advice of Russian diplomats, the latter refused to allow the British embassy into the country. This was the reason for the entry of British troops into Afghanistan. They occupied the capital and forced the new emir Yakub Khan to sign an agreement according to which his state had no right to conduct foreign policy without the mediation of the British government.

In 1880, Abdurrahman Khan became emir. He attempted to enter into an armed conflict with Russian troops in Turkestan, but was defeated in March 1885 in the Kushka region. As a result, London and St. Petersburg jointly determined the boundaries within which Afghanistan (the history of the 20th century is presented below) exists to this day.

Independence from the British Empire

In 1919, as a result of the assassination of Emir Habibullah Khan and a coup d'etat, Amanullah Khan came to the throne, proclaiming the country's independence from Great Britain and declaring jihad against it. He carried out mobilization, and a 12,000-strong army of regular fighters, supported by a 100,000-strong army of nomadic partisans, moved towards India.

The history of the war in Afghanistan, unleashed by the British in order to maintain their influence, also contains mention of the first massive air raid in the history of this country. Kabul was attacked by the British Air Force. As a result of the panic that arose among the residents of the capital, and after several lost battles, Amanullah Khan asked for peace.

In August 1919, a peace treaty was signed. According to this document, the country received the right to foreign relations, but lost the annual British subsidy of 60,000 pounds sterling, which until 1919 accounted for about half of Afghanistan's budget revenues.

Kingdom

In 1929, Amanullah Khan, who after a trip to Europe and the USSR was going to begin radical reforms, was overthrown as a result of the uprising of Habibullah Kalakani, nicknamed Bachai Sakao (Son of the Water Carrier). An attempt to return the former emir to the throne, supported by Soviet troops, was unsuccessful. The British took advantage of this and overthrew Bachai Sakao and placed Nadir Khan on the throne. With his accession the Afghan war began recent history. The monarchy in Afghanistan began to be called royal, and the emirate was abolished.

In 1933, Nadir Khan, who was killed by a cadet during a parade in Kabul, was succeeded on the throne by his son Zahir Shah. He was a reformer and was considered one of the most enlightened and progressive Asian monarchs of his time.

In 1964, Zahir Shah issued a new constitution that aimed to democratize Afghanistan and eliminate discrimination against women. As a result, radically minded clergy began to express dissatisfaction and actively engage in destabilizing the situation in the country.

Dictatorship of Daoud

As the history of Afghanistan says, the 20th century (the period from 1933 to 1973) was truly golden for the state, as industry appeared in the country, good roads, the education system was modernized, a university was founded, hospitals were built, etc. However, in the 40th year after After his accession to the throne, Zahir Shah was overthrown by his cousin, Prince Mohammed Daoud, who proclaimed Afghanistan a republic. After this, the country became an arena of confrontation between various factions that expressed the interests of Pashtuns, Uzbeks, Tajiks and Hazaras, as well as other ethnic communities. In addition, radical Islamic forces entered into confrontation. In 1975, they launched an uprising that spread to the provinces of Paktia, Badakhshan and Nangarhar. However, the government of dictator Daoud managed to suppress it with difficulty.

At the same time, representatives of the country's People's Democratic Party (PDPA) also sought to destabilize the situation. At the same time, it had significant support in the Afghan Armed Forces.

DRA

The history of Afghanistan (20th century) experienced another turning point in 1978. On April 27, a revolution took place there. After Noor Mohammad Taraki came to power, Muhammad Daoud and all his family members were killed. Babrak Karmal also found himself in senior leadership positions.

Background to the entry of a limited contingent of Soviet troops into Afghanistan

The policy of the new authorities to eliminate the country's backlog met with resistance from the Islamists, which escalated into a civil war. Unable to cope with the current situation on its own, the Afghan government repeatedly appealed to the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee with a request to provide military assistance. However Soviet authorities refrained because they foresaw Negative consequences such a step. At the same time, they strengthened the security of the state border in the Afghan sector and increased the number of military advisers in the neighboring country. At the same time, the KGB constantly received intelligence information that the United States was actively financing anti-government forces.

Murder of Taraki

History of Afghanistan (20th century) contains information on several political assassinations with the aim of seizing power. One of these events took place in September 1979, when, on the orders of Hafizullah Amin, PDPA leader Taraki was arrested and executed. Under the new dictator, terror unfolded in the country, which also affected the army, in which mutinies and desertion became commonplace. Since the VTs were the main support of the PDPA, the Soviet government saw in the created situation a threat of its overthrow and the coming to power of forces hostile to the USSR. In addition, it became known that Amin had secret contacts with American emissaries.

As a result, it was decided to develop an operation to overthrow him and replace him with a leader more loyal to the USSR. The main candidate for this role was Babrak Karmal.

History of the war in Afghanistan (1979-1989): preparation

Preparations for a coup in the neighboring state began in December 1979, when a specially created “Muslim battalion” was transferred to Afghanistan. The history of this unit still remains a mystery to many. It is only known that it was staffed by GRU officers from the Central Asian republics, who were well aware of the traditions of the peoples living in Afghanistan, their language and way of life.

The decision to send troops was made in mid-December 1979 at a Politburo meeting. Only A. Kosygin did not support him, which is why he had a serious conflict with Brezhnev.

The operation began on December 25, 1979, when the 781st separate reconnaissance battalion of the 108th MRD entered the territory of the DRA. Then the transfer of other Soviet military formations began. By mid-afternoon on December 27, they were in complete control of Kabul, and in the evening they began storming Amin’s palace. It lasted only 40 minutes, and after its completion it became known that most of those who were there, including the leader of the country, were killed.

Brief chronology of events from 1980 to 1989

Real stories about the war in Afghanistan are stories about the heroism of soldiers and officers who did not always understand for whom and what they were forced to risk their lives. Briefly the chronology is as follows:

• March 1980 - April 1985. Conducting combat operations, including large-scale ones, as well as work on the reorganization of the DRA Armed Forces.
• April 1985 - January 1987. Support for the Afghan troops with air force aviation, engineer units and artillery, as well as an active fight to suppress the supply of weapons from abroad.
• January 1987 - February 1989. Participation in events to implement a policy of national reconciliation.

By the beginning of 1988, it became clear that the presence of the Soviet armed contingent on the territory of the DRA was inappropriate. It can be considered that the history of the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan began on February 8, 1988, when at a meeting of the Politburo the question of choosing a date for this operation was raised.

It became May 15th. However, the last SA unit left Kabul on February 4, 1989, and the withdrawal of troops ended on February 15 with the crossing of the state border by Lieutenant General B. Gromov.

In the 90s

Afghanistan, whose history and prospects for peaceful development in the future are quite vague, last decade The 20th century plunged into the abyss of a brutal civil war.

At the end of February 1989, in Peshawar, the Afghan opposition elected the leader of the Alliance of Seven, S. Mojaddedi, as head of the “Transitional Government of the Mujahideen” and began fighting against the pro-Soviet regime.

In April 1992, opposition forces captured Kabul, and the next day its leader, in the presence of foreign diplomats, was proclaimed president of the Islamic State of Afghanistan. The history of the country after this “inaguration” took a sharp turn towards radicalism. One of the first decrees signed by S. Mojaddedi declared all laws that contradicted Islam to be invalid.

In the same year, he transferred power to Burhanuddin Rabbani's group. This decision caused ethnic strife, during which warlords destroyed each other. Soon, Rabbani's authority weakened so much that his government ceased to carry out any activities in the country.

At the end of September 1996, the Taliban captured Kabul, captured the ousted President Najibullah and his brother, who were hiding in the UN mission building, and publicly executed them by hanging in one of the squares of the Afghan capital.

A few days later, the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan was proclaimed, and the creation of a Provisional Ruling Council consisting of 6 members, headed by Mullah Omar, was announced. Having come to power, the Taliban stabilized the situation in the country to some extent. However, they had many opponents.

On October 9, 1996, a meeting between one of the main opposition leaders, Dostum, and Rabbani took place in the vicinity of the city of Mazar-i-Sharif. They were joined by Ahmad Shah Massoud and Karim Khalili. As a result, the Supreme Council was established and efforts were united for a common fight against the Taliban. The group was called the Northern Alliance. She managed to form an independent organization in northern Afghanistan during 1996-2001. state.

After the invasion of international forces

The history of modern Afghanistan received new development after the famous terrorist attack of September 11, 2001. The United States used it as a pretext to invade this country, declaring its main goal to overthrow the Taliban regime, which sheltered Osama bin Laden. On October 7, the territory of Afghanistan was subjected to massive air strikes, weakening the Taliban forces. In December, a council of Afghan tribal elders was convened, headed by the future (since 2004) president

At the same time, NATO completed the occupation of Afghanistan, and the Taliban moved on. From that time to this day, terrorist attacks in the country have not stopped. In addition, every day it turns into a huge opium poppy plantation. Suffice it to say that, according to the most conservative estimates, about 1 million people in this country are drug addicts.

In the same time unknown stories Afghanistan, presented without retouching, was a shock to Europeans or Americans, including because of the cases of aggression shown by NATO soldiers against civilians. Perhaps this circumstance is due to the fact that everyone is already quite tired of the war. These words are confirmed by Barack Obama's decision to withdraw troops. However, it has not yet been implemented, and now Afghans hope that the new US president will not change plans and that foreign military personnel will finally leave the country.

Now you know the ancient and modern history of Afghanistan. Today this country is experiencing better times, and one can only hope that peace will finally come to her land.

Afghanistan (Dari افغانستان) (Afğānistān), official name- Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (Pashto د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, Dari جمهوری اسلامی افغانستان) - a state in the Middle East m East, has no access to the sea. One of the poorest countries in the world. Over the past 33 years (since 1978), the country has been Civil War. The name "Afghanistan" is translated into Russian as "country of Afghans." It borders with Iran in the west, Pakistan in the south and east, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan in the north, in the easternmost part of the country. Afghanistan lies at the crossroads between East and West and is an ancient center of trade and migration. Its geopolitical location is between South and Central Asia on the one hand and the Middle East on the other, which allows it to play an important role in economic, political and cultural relations between the countries of the region.

The first part of the name is “Afghan,” and “Afghani” is another name for the Pashtuns, the largest ethnic group in the country. Indeed, the territory of Afghanistan is difficult to access and convenient for tribes who, for one reason or another, maintained their independence from various types of conquerors in Central Asia. This is the so-called external name of the people, in contrast to the self-name (an analogue in the Russian language can be considered the words “German”, “Germans”, that is, those who cannot speak “in our way”, dumb. This is what all foreign residents were called. And also the word barbarians in Greek). The last part of the name, the suffix “-stan”, goes back to the Indo-European root “*stā-” (“to stand”) and in Persian means “place, country”. In modern Persian, the suffix “-istan” (Persian ستان‎) is used to form toponyms - geographical names places of residence of tribes, peoples and various ethnic groups.

The term "Afghans" as a name for a people has been in use since at least the Islamic period. According to some scholars, the word "Afghan" appears for the first time in history in 982; then it meant Afghans of various tribes who lived on the western border of the mountains along the Indus River.

The Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta, who visited Kabul in 1333, writes: “We traveled through Kabul, previously a huge city, on the site of which a tribe of Persians now lives, calling themselves Afghans.”

The current flag was adopted in 2004. The flag image is a vertical black-red-green tricolor, in the center of which (in the middle of the red stripe) is the state emblem of Afghanistan. The black color symbolizes the historical past - the fight against the British colonialists, red - the blood shed for freedom, green - the traditional color of Islam. The proportions of the flag are 7:10.

The coat of arms (National emblem) of Afghanistan has existed since the formation of the state. The image of the coat of arms represents a mosque with a minbar, framed by ears of corn. There are two Afghan flags at the mosque. At the top is the Shahada, the Islamic symbol of faith, illuminated by the rays of the sun, under which is the takbir (the inscription “Allah is Great”). Under the mosque is the date 1298, which according to the Islamic calendar corresponds to 1919, when the country gained independence. The coat of arms is also depicted on the flag of Afghanistan.

Kabul is the capital of Afghanistan (since 1847). The city was founded in ancient times on the right bank of the Kabul River (II century). It occupies the western part of the plain, surrounded from the north and south by mountains. On the left, northern bank of the river there are aristocratic quarters with residences of the nobility, buildings of government agencies, trading companies, educational institutions. The streets of the left bank of Kabul are wide and cobbled, many buildings are built in European style. There are extensive gardens and parks. On the right bank, old Kabul retains the appearance of a medieval Muslim city with narrow unpaved streets and two-story adobe houses with flat roofs and blank facades. The lower floors of houses are often used as a teahouse or handicraft workshops. The home life of city dwellers takes place on the upper floors and in the courtyards. Almost every one of these courtyards has a fountain or small pool that supplies the family with water.

The bazaars of Kabul stretch in a continuous ribbon from west to east. In some places they are separated by caravanserais (inns). Industrial enterprises located mainly on the western edge of the right bank. There are few ancient architectural monuments in Kabul. The city suffered greatly from the British military invasion in 1842. On the hills are the remains of fortress walls (VII - VIII centuries), the Baghi-Babur garden with Babur’s tomb (XVI century) and the Shah Jahan mosque (XVII century). The Bala-Khimar fortress was built in the 5th century).

History of Afghanistan

Background

XVII century BC e. - Indo-Aryan tribes invade the territory of Afghanistan from the north, forming the historical region of Gandhara
VI century BC e. - the territory of Afghanistan is part of the Achaemenid Empire
In the 4th century BC. e. the territory of Afghanistan was captured by the troops of Alexander the Great and subsequently became part of the Seleucid state.
Greco-Bactrian kingdom, which was captured by the Yuezhi
I-V century - The Kushan kingdom began the spread of Buddhism
5th century - the Hephthalites settled in Afghanistan
VI - the territory of Afghanistan became part of the Sassanid state later in the state of the Samanids
XI - as part of the Ghaznavid state
1148-1206 - Ghurids
In the 14th century, the territory of Afghanistan became part of the Turkic-Mongol Timurid Empire. The second center of this state is located in Herat. The last Timurid and founder of the Mughal Empire, Babur, defeated by the Golden Horde Sheibanids, founded in the 16th century new empire with its center in Kabul, from where it makes victorious campaigns in India. Soon Babur moved to India, and the territory of Afghanistan became part of the Shiite Safavid Iran.
18th century - formation of feudal Afghan khanates.

In 1709, the Pashtun tribes rebelled against Iran and formed the Gilzean principality with its capital in Kandahar, which was defeated in 1737 by the Iranian armies of Nadir Shah.

Durrani Power

After the collapse of Iran in 1747, Ahmad Shah Durrani founded the first Afghan state with its capital in Kandahar. At the Council of Tribal Elders (Loya Jirga), he was proclaimed Shah. Under his son Timur Shah (1773-1793), the capital of the state was moved to Kabul. The next ruler of Afghanistan was Zeman Shah (1793-1801), overthrown by his brother Mahmud.

British colonial expansion

In 1838 Afghanistan was subjected to British colonial expansion. In 1839, Anglo-Indian troops (12 thousand soldiers) took Kandahar, and then Kabul. The Afghan emir avoided battles and went into the mountains. In 1841, anti-British unrest began in Kabul. The following year, the Anglo-Indian army retreated to India, but was killed by Afghan partisans. Britain responded with a punitive raid.

First Anglo-Afghan War

The reason for the start of the first Anglo-Afghan war was the business trip of Lieutenant Vitkevich in 1837 as a Russian resident under Dost Mohammed, who seized power in Kabul. He had already been fighting for ten years with his relative Shuja Shah, who was based in India and supported by Britain. London regarded Vitkevich's mission as St. Petersburg's intention to gain a foothold in Afghanistan with the prospect of penetrating India.

Military operations began in January 1839, when the Anglo-Indian army consisting of 12 thousand soldiers, 38 thousand servants and 30 thousand camels entered Afghanistan through the Bolan Pass. At first, Dost Mohammed was able to field 12 thousand cavalry, 2.5 thousand infantry and 45 artillery pieces. guns On April 25, Anglo-Indian troops took Kandahar without a fight and marched on Kabul. The Afghans put up their first serious resistance only at Ghazni (140 km southwest of Kabul). The fortress was defended by a selected garrison of three thousand under the command of Haider Khan, but it was taken. On August 7, 1839, the British and Indians took Kabul without a fight. Emir Shuja Shah reigned on the throne there. Former emir Dost Mohammed went to the mountains with 350 fighters.

The war was won quite easily by the British, Indians and Shuja Shah. However, the Afghan feudal lords reacted coolly, to say the least, towards Shuja. A little over two years later they inspired unrest, and on November 2, 1841 they carried out a massacre in Kabul. Among the British killed was Ambassador Burns. The British did not respond with immediate action, and the Afghans, seeing this as weakness, carried out massacres of the British in other parts of Afghanistan. On December 30, 1841, the British agreed with the leaders of the Afghan tribes - they promised to let Anglo-Indian troops into India for a ransom (at the beginning of these week-long negotiations, the Afghans cut off the head of a British envoy and carried it through the streets of Kabul).

At the beginning of January 1842, the British and Indians set out from Kabul in the direction of Jalalabad, and when they entered the mountains, the Afghans attacked and killed them. Of the 16 thousand British and Indians (of which there were 4 thousand fighters), only one person survived - Doctor Brydon, who on January 14 reached Jalalabad, where the Anglo-Indian brigade was stationed. The brigade commander sent word to Calcutta, and two punitive expeditions were organized - one division at a time from Quetta to Kandahar and through Jalalabad to Kabul. Eight months later, on September 16, 1842, both divisions took Kabul. From there punitive detachments were sent to the surrounding area.

Having suppressed the Afghan uprisings, Britain refrained from occupying Afghanistan. She preferred the method of bribery and intrigue, and Dost Mohammed, who again took the throne, did not make any attempts at rapprochement with Russia and concluded a peace treaty with Britain.

Second Anglo-Afghan War

The status quo remained for almost 40 years, until the next Russian-Turkish war of 1877-1878 began. Britain was dissatisfied with the successes of Russian troops in this war - Russian troops were approaching Constantinople. In response to this dissatisfaction in London, St. Petersburg decided to hold a demonstration in Turkestan in order to influence the London cabinet with the appearance of a threat to India.

The Russian troops stationed in Turkestan were ordered to march in three columns to Chardjui, Balkh, and Chitral. A mission led by General Stoletov was sent to Kabul. The Emir of Afghanistan, Sher Ali Khan, accepted the mission with the greatest honors on July 17, 1878 and, as he put it, “gave the key to India into the hands of Russia.” General Stoletov promised the emir generous military and material support and advised not to allow the British embassy, ​​equipped by the British government, into the country after the news of Stoletov’s mission.

The emir followed Russian advice, and the second Anglo-Afghan war began. The British entered Afghanistan in November 1878 in three columns - General Brown's Peshawar (16 thousand with 48 guns), General Roberts' Kurama (6 thousand with 18 guns) and General Stewart's Kandahar (13 thousand with 32 guns). The first two columns were aimed at Kabul, the third - Kandahar and Herat. In November-December, the first two columns occupied the areas of Jalalabad and Khost, the third took Kandahar on December 27.

Emir Shir-Ali fled to the north of Afghanistan to Mazar-i-Sharif, where he died. His successor (son) Yakub Khan gave up resistance and on May 15, 1879 signed a peace treaty, according to which the Afghan government lost the right to conduct any foreign policy otherwise, except through the mediation of the British government, and all strategic passages between Afghanistan and India were transferred to the latter.

However, in September 1879, Yakub Khan was overthrown by his brother Eyub. And in January 1880, another contender for the Afghan throne arose - Abdurrahman Khan, the nephew of Shir-Ali, who had lived in Samarkand since 1870. He overthrew Eyub, proclaimed himself emir and was recognized by the British - in exchange for adherence to the Treaty of May 1879. Abdur Rahman soon turned his gaze to the north, joining hostilities against Russian troops. However, in March 1885 it was defeated by General Komarov in the Kushka area. The Russians had 1,800 soldiers and 4 guns, the Afghans - 4,700 and 8 guns. Having lost more than a thousand killed and all their guns, the Afghans fled home. The Russians lost 9 soldiers killed and 45 wounded [source not specified 935 days].

Under Abdur Rahman (1880–1901), Britain and Russia jointly determined the borders of Afghanistan, which still exist today.

The British succeed, as a result of diplomatic intrigues, in separating the territory of the so-called Pashtunistan (now the North-Western Province of Pakistan) from Afghanistan.

By 1895, the territory of modern Afghanistan was formed as a result of the conquest of Uzbek, Tajik, Hazara and other lands by Emir Abdur-Rahman. It changes National composition Afghanistan, where Pashtuns (Afghans) now make up no more than 50% of the population.

Independent Afghanistan

In 1919, Amanullah Khan declared the independence of Afghanistan from Great Britain. Authorities Soviet Russia welcomed this act. After the next Anglo-Afghan war, Great Britain recognized its independence.

After the second war, the Afghans again did not disturb the British and Indians for almost 40 years, until on February 21, 1919, the third son of the then Emir of Afghanistan, Amanullah, killed his father. Having suppressed the attempt of his uncle Nasrullah Khan to take power and ascended the throne, Amanullah immediately declared jihad - a “holy war” against Britain, mobilized and sent 12 thousand regular fighters and 100 thousand nomadic partisans to India.

The fighting began on May 3, 1919, when the Afghans attacked a border post in the Khyber Pass. The British responded with an aerial bombardment of Kabul. Then on May 11, the 1st Indian Infantry Division, supported by the 1st Cavalry Brigade, attacked Afghan troops in the Khyber Pass and routed them. On the same day, British aircraft bombed Jalalabad. As a result, the Afghans in this direction were completely demoralized and depressed. However, in the Khost region, large detachments of partisans under the command of General Nadir Shah invaded India on May 23. They occupied the Tal railway station, surrounded two infantry battalions, a cavalry squadron and a battery. But on June 1, in a battle with the infantry brigade of General Dauer, the Afghans suffered a heavy defeat and retreated to Afghanistan (for more details, see the article The Third Anglo-Afghan War).

Amanullah asked for peace. On August 8, 1919, a preliminary peace treaty was signed, which gave Afghanistan the right to foreign relations, but left in force all other points of the previous treaty of 1879, except for the abolition of the annual British subsidy to Afghanistan in the amount of 60 thousand pounds sterling. Until 1919, this subsidy accounted for approximately half of Afghanistan's budget revenues.

In October 1919, Amanullah Khan sent his troops to Merv (now Mary, Turkmenistan) and expelled the local Soviet from there. Amanullah also offered military assistance against the Bolsheviks to Ferghana - on the terms of its accession to the Islamic Central Asian Federation, which the Afghan emperor planned to found. However, nothing came of this venture - the Red troops successfully advanced into Central Asia, and Amanullah did not dare to fight them and withdrew his troops from Merv.

In 1929, Amanullah Khan was overthrown as a result of the Bachai Sakao uprising. In the same year, an unsuccessful attempt was made to restore the power of Amanullah Khan with the help of Soviet troops. Bachai Sakao was overthrown in the same years by Nadir Khan, who enlisted the support of the British.

Bachai Sakao is not a name, but a contemptuous nickname, translated into Russian meaning “son of the water-carrier.” This usurper of the Afghan throne was a Tajik from a poor family. He himself declared himself Padishah Habibullah.

In 1965, under the influence of communist ideas, journalist Noor Muhammad Taraki founded the pro-Soviet People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), which in 1966 split into two factions along ethnic lines: the predominantly Pashtun “Khalq” (“People”), led by Taraki, and the multinational “Parcham” (“Banner”) led by Babrak Karmal.

Dictatorship of Daoud (1973-1978)

Happens in 1973 palace coup, as a result of which King Zahir Shah deposes him cousin Prince Mohammed Daoud, who proclaims Afghanistan a republic. The Republican period of Afghanistan is characterized by instability and confrontation between various groups expressing the interests of various ethnic communities of Afghanistan (Pashtuns, Tajiks, Uzbeks and Hazaras). In addition, there are both radical Islamic and pro-communist forces in the country. Both of them, in their structure and relationships, reflect the existing ethnic diversity of the state and the contradictions between different nationalities.

On June 21, 1975, Islamic radicals rebelled. It is led by prominent figures of Islamic radicalism who are members of the leadership of organizations such as Muslim Youth. One of them is Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, who later became famous.

The uprising quickly covers the provinces of Badakhshan, Paktia, and Nangarhar, but the Daoud government manages to suppress it.

At the same time, pro-communist forces represented by the PDPA are trying to destabilize the situation. At the same time, the PDPA has significant support in the Afghan Armed Forces.

Saur revolution

On April 27, 1978, a revolution took place in Afghanistan, as a result of which former President Mohammed Daoud was killed. Nur Mohammad Taraki becomes the head of state and prime minister, Babrak Karmal becomes his deputy, and Hafizullah Amin is appointed first deputy prime minister and minister of foreign affairs. The revolution became a prelude to civil war in the country.

Civil War in Afghanistan

1987, November 30 - The Loya Jirga adopts a new Constitution, proclaiming a “policy of national reconciliation.” Afghanistan is no longer called " Democratic Republic": the country is renamed the Republic of Afghanistan. Battles for Jalalabad.
1988, February 8 - at a meeting of the Politburo of the CPSU Central Committee, the question of the date of the “final departure” was raised Soviet Union from Afghanistan,” the date for the start of the withdrawal of Soviet troops was announced - May 15 of this year.
1989, February 4 - last unit Soviet army left Kabul.
1989, February 14 - all USSR troops were withdrawn from the territory of Afghanistan; All their property and real estate were transferred to the republic. The last to leave the country, allegedly on February 15, was the commander of the 40th Army, Lieutenant General B. Gromov.
1989, end of February - in Peshawar, a shura of representatives of the Afghan opposition elected the leader of the Alliance of Seven, Sebghatullah Mujaddedi, as chairman of the so-called “Transitional Government of the Mujahideen”. The opposition began large-scale military operations against the communist regime.
1990, March 6 - putsch by Khalqist Defense Minister General Tanay, who entered into a sharp military confrontation with President Najibullah. Subsequently he fled to Pakistan and went over to the side of the Taliban.
1991, November 15 - USSR Foreign Minister B. Pankin gave official consent to the cessation of military supplies to the government in Kabul from January 1, 1992.
1992, April 27 - Islamic opposition units entered Kabul, and on April 28, Sebgatullah Mojaddedi arrived in the capital and, in the presence of foreign diplomats, received power from the hands of the vice-president of the previous regime. He became the President of the Islamic State of Afghanistan, as well as the head of the Jihad Council (a 51-member commission appointed under the Peshawar Accords). According to the same document, the post of Prime Minister was taken by Abdul Rasul Sayaf. So far, the continuity of power has been demonstrated: a general amnesty and a refusal to prosecute functionaries of the previous regime have been announced.
1992, May 6 - at the first meeting of the Leadership Council, a decision was made to dissolve the previous cabinet of ministers, headed by F. Khalekyar. Dissolved National Council, the Vatan party was banned and its property was confiscated. All laws contrary to Islam were declared invalid. The first decrees of the new government pointed to the establishment of an Islamic dictatorship in the country: the university and all entertainment establishments were closed, mandatory prayers were introduced in government institutions, all anti-religious books and alcohol were banned, and women’s rights were significantly reduced. That same year, Mojaddidi handed over power to the Tajik ethnic group of Burhanuddin Rabbani. However, the civil war did not end there. Pashtun (Gulbetdin Hekmatyar), Tajik (Ahmad Shah Massoud, Ismail Khan) and Uzbek (Abdul-Rashid Dostum) field commanders continued to fight among themselves.
By the end of 1994, Rabbani's authority as a national leader was so weakened that his government practically ceased to exist. Even the faint semblance of centralized leadership disappeared. The country was still divided along ethnic lines, and the classic picture of feudal civil strife was observed. There was complete decentralization government controlled, there were no economic ties. In this situation, a new Islamist radical movement arose among the Pashtuns - the Taliban group under the leadership of Mullah Mohammad Omar.
1996, September 26 - the Taliban advance from Sarobi towards Kabul and capture it in a night assault. It was officially announced that the city was taken without a fight. The former government of Rabbani-Hekmatyar flees and joins the armed opposition. In essence, we are talking about the rise to power of Islamic radical groups, since other anti-government groups by that time were clearly inferior to the radicals in weapons, numbers and organization.

Under the Taliban, Afghan media activities were severely limited. Radio Afghanistan was renamed the "Voice of Sharia" and promoted the Taliban's values ​​of fundamentalist Islam. The Taliban banned television altogether, declaring it a source of moral decay.

1996, September 27 - the Taliban completely occupied Kabul. Ex-President Najibullah and his brother Ahmadzai, hiding in the UN mission building, were captured and publicly hanged in one of the squares of the capital.
1996, September 28 - Iran, India, Russia and the Central Asian republics condemned the execution of Najibullah. The US administration and UN representatives express regret over what happened, but at the same time declare their readiness to establish relations with the new authorities in Kabul.
1996, September 29 - The Taliban proclaimed the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and announced the creation of a Provisional Ruling Council of 6 members led by Mullah Omar.
1996, September 30 - the Taliban offer Dostum negotiations and move north following the departing Masoud.
1996, October 6 - Massoud successfully repels the Taliban's attack on the Panjer Valley.
1996, October 9 - meeting and brotherly embrace of Dostum and Rabbani in the vicinity of Mazar-i-Sharif. Almost all the main opponents of the Taliban (Masud, Dostum, Rabbani and Khalili) gained a foothold in the north, where they jointly established their Supreme Council and joined forces for a common fight against the Taliban. The new military force was called the Northern Alliance and formed the virtually independent state of Northern Afghanistan in 1996-2001, which retained the name Islamic State of Afghanistan.

After the international invasion

The US leadership used the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack as a pretext to invade Afghanistan. The goal of the operation was to overthrow the Taliban regime, which was sheltering the terrorist Osama bin Laden. On October 7, Afghanistan was subjected to massive air and missile attacks, which weakened the Taliban forces and contributed to the advancement of the armed opposition of the Northern Alliance, entrenched in the mountains of Badakhshan. On November 9, armed opposition forces entered Mazar-i-Sharif, and on November 13, they entered Kabul, abandoned by the Taliban. On December 7, the last stronghold of the Taliban, the city of Kandahar, fell. The intervention of the international community prevented the Northern Alliance from taking power into its own hands. In December, the Loya Jirga is convened - a council of elders of Afghan tribes, chaired by Pashtun Hamid Karzai (since 2004 - President of Afghanistan). Meanwhile, NATO occupies Afghanistan. The Taliban are turning to guerrilla warfare.

After the overthrow of the Taliban regime in Afghanistan, the level of drug trafficking increases sharply. According to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime in 2005, Afghanistan accounts for 87% of the world's heroin supply (and this share is constantly growing); many peasant farms are involved in opium production. Since 2007, there has been a decrease in drug production volumes.

On December 19, 2005, the first meeting of the parliament in 30 years was held in Afghanistan - the National Assembly of Afghanistan, elected during general elections - 249 deputies of the lower house and 102 senators (elders). His inauguration ceremony was attended by US Vice President Dick Cheney and King Mohammed Zahir Shah, who was overthrown in 1973. Of the 249 deputies of the lower house of parliament, 60% are the so-called “Mujahideen,” that is, those who fought against Soviet troops in the 1980s. Warlords became deputies thanks to American military and financial assistance and the world community's hostility towards the Taliban.

On April 2, 2011, unrest broke out in Kandahar following a rumor that an American pastor had burned the Koran. Several thousand citizens took part in the action, and there were clashes with the police. The main target of the protesters was the UN office. Previously, a similar action took place in another Afghan city, Mazar-i-Sharif. However, tensions between local residents and international forces had previously occurred when, following a road accident, international soldiers fired at a car in which a child and his father were killed. In total, about 100 people died during the unrest in Kandahar in early April.

State-political structure

According to the 2004 Constitution, Afghanistan is an Islamic republic with a presidential form of government. The President is the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the country's Armed Forces, forms the government, and is elected (for no more than two consecutive terms) for four years by universal secret ballot.

Legislature

Judicial system

In Afghanistan, the judiciary is an independent branch state power. Currently, as part of the implementation of the Bonn Agreements of 2001, Afghanistan has temporarily returned to the 1964 judicial system, which combines traditional Sharia law with elements of European legal systems. Although it does not provide clear guidance on the role of Sharia, it does note that laws should not conflict with the basic principles of Islam.

Loya Jirga (High Council)

In the structure of the highest bodies of government there is also a traditional body of representative power - the Loya Jirga ("Great Assembly", "High Council"), which includes members of both houses of parliament and chairmen of provincial and district councils.

Law enforcement

Law enforcement agencies are represented by the Afghan National Police, which as of 2010 numbered about 90,000 people.

Due to the ongoing civil war, police functions are performed by army units. Corruption and illiteracy among employees remain high level. Police units are trained by instructors from NATO countries.

Administrative division

Armed forces

The current armed forces of Afghanistan were actually created anew with the help of trainers and NATO. As of January 2010, the number armed forces was 108,000 people. By 2014, the number of military personnel is planned to increase to 260,000 people.

The armed forces are divided into the Afghan National Army (ANA) and the Afghan National Air Corps. Organizationally, the ANA consists of corps, divided into brigades and battalions. Also, the ANA includes a special forces battalion.

The heavy equipment in service with the ANA is mainly produced in the USSR, inherited from the DRA Armed Forces - BMP-1, BTR-60, BTR-80, T-55, T-62 tanks, as well as the USA - M- infantry fighting vehicles 113 and Humvee.

The air force is represented by the Afghan National Air Corps. The aircraft in service are mainly Soviet-made helicopters - Mi-8, Mi-17, Mi-24, as well as Czechoslovakian L-39 training aircraft.

Geography

Relief

The territory of Afghanistan is located in the northeastern part of the Iranian Plateau. A significant part of the country is made up of mountains and valleys between them.

In the north of the country there is the Bactrian Plain, within which lies a sandy-clayey desert, which is a continuation of the Karakum Desert. In the south and east it is bordered by mountain systems: Paropamiz, consisting of two ranges - Safedhok and Siahkok, as well as the Hindu Kush.

To the south are the Central Afghan Mountains and the Ghazni-Kandahar Plateau. In the west, along the border with Iran, lie the Naomid plateau and the Sistan depression. The extreme south of the country is occupied by the Gaudi-Zira depression, the clay-gravel rock desert of Dashti-Margo and the sandy deserts of Garmser and Registan.

West of the Hindu Kush there is the Hazarajat Highlands with an altitude of 3000-4000 m. On the border with Pakistan is highest point country - Mount Noshak, 7492 m high.

Climate

The climate of Afghanistan is subtropical continental, cold in winter and dry, hot in summer. Average temperatures and precipitation vary with altitude: in winter from +8 to −20 °C and below, in summer from +32 to 0 °C. In deserts, 40-50 mm of precipitation falls per year, on plateaus - 200-250 mm, on the windward slopes of the Hindu Kush 400-600 mm, in the south-east of Afghanistan, where monsoons penetrate with Indian Ocean, about 800 mm. Maximum precipitation occurs in winter and spring. At an altitude of 3,000-5,000 m, snow cover lasts 6-8 months; higher up there are glaciers.

Geological structure

The territory of Afghanistan is located mainly within the Alpine-Himalayan mobile belt, with the exception of the Bactrian Plain, which belongs to the southern edge of the Turanian platform.

Rivers and reservoirs

All rivers, with the exception of Kabul, which flows into the Indus, are drainless. The largest of them are the Amu Darya, which flows along the northern border of the country, Gerirud, dismantled for irrigation, and Helmand, which flows together with the Ferrakh-Rud, Khash-Rud and Harut-Rud rivers into the Sistan depression and forms a group of freshwater lakes there, Hamun. The rivers are fed mainly by meltwater from mountain glaciers. Lowland rivers experience high water in the spring and dry up in the summer. Mountain rivers have significant hydropower potential. In many areas, the only source of water supply and irrigation is groundwater.

Minerals

The depths of Afghanistan are rich in minerals, but their development is limited due to their location in remote mountainous areas.

There are deposits of coal and precious metals, beryllium ores, sulfur, table salt, marble, lapis lazuli, barite, celestine. There are deposits of oil, natural gas, and gypsum. Copper, iron, and manganese ores have been explored.

Economy

Afghanistan is extremely poor country, highly dependent on foreign aid($2.6 billion in 2009, with a state budget of $3.3 billion).

GDP per capita in 2009 was $800 (at purchasing power parity, 219th in the world).

78% of workers are in agriculture (31% of GDP), 6% in industry (26% of GDP), 16% in the service sector (43% of GDP). The unemployment rate is 35% (in 2008).

Products Agriculture- opium, grain, fruits, nuts; wool, leather.

Industrial products - clothing, soap, shoes, fertilizers, cement; carpets; gas, coal, copper.

Exports - $0.6 billion (in 2008, excluding illegal exports): opium, fruits and nuts, carpets, wool, astrakhan fur, precious and semi-precious stones.

The main buyers in 2008 were India 23.5%, Pakistan 17.7%, USA 16.5%, Tajikistan 12.8%, Netherlands 6.9%.

Imports - $5.3 billion (in 2008): industrial goods, food, textiles, oil and petroleum products.

The main suppliers in 2008 are Pakistan 36%, USA 9.3%, 7.5%, India 6.9%.

Drug production

At the end of August 2008, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) published its annual report on opium poppy production in Afghanistan, which states: “No country in the world, except China in the mid-19th century, produced as many drugs as modern Afghanistan.” "

After the invasion of US and NATO troops, drug production increased several times. Today, it is Russia and the EU countries that are the main victims of heroin coming from Afghanistan. It is noted that the rapid growth of drug consumption in Russia in the last ten years has occurred precisely due to drug trafficking from Afghanistan.

According to UNODC, Afghanistan already produces more than 90% of the opium entering the world market. The area of ​​opium plantations is 193 thousand hectares. The income of Afghan drug lords in 2007 exceeded $3 billion (which, according to various estimates, ranges from 10% to 15% of Afghanistan’s official GDP). The area under opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan now exceeds that of coca plantations in Colombia, Peru and Bolivia combined. In 2006, the country produced 6,100 tons of opium, and in 2007, a record harvest of 8,000 tons.

At the same time, only 20% of Afghan opium poppy is produced in the north and center, controlled by the government of Hamid Karzai, and the rest is produced in the southern provinces on the border with Pakistan - the zone of operation of NATO troops and the Taliban. The main center of drug production is Helmand province, a stronghold of the Taliban movement, where the planting area is 103 thousand hectares.

Afghanistan is officially under the patronage of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan (ISAF) (to which the US transferred this responsibility after the official end of military operations), but the international forces were never able to take control of the entire territory of Afghanistan, limiting their real influence mainly to Kabul and the surrounding area .

According to the UN, about 90% of drugs entering Europe are of Afghan origin. ISAF, for its part, verbally declares that its troops are conducting a peacekeeping operation in Afghanistan and are ready to help the Afghan government in solving the drug problem, but this is first and foremost its own task.

Poppy cultivation is often the only source of income for Afghan farmers.

Afghanistan is the world's largest opium producer; poppy cultivation fell by 22% to 157,000 hectares in 2008 but remains at historically high levels; unfavorable growing conditions in 2008 reduced the amount harvested to 5,500 tons, down 31 percent from 2007; If the entire crop were processed there would be approximately 648 tons of pure heroin; The Taliban and other anti-government groups are directly involved in opium production and profit from the opium trade. Opium is a key source of income for the Taliban in Afghanistan. In 2008, the Taliban's drug revenue was $470 million. Widespread corruption and instability in the state hamper existing anti-drug efforts; Most heroin sold in Europe and East Asia is produced from Afghan opium (2008).

A number of experts believe that during the reign of the Taliban, drug production was banned and suppressed, while after the entry of US and NATO troops, the production and supply of drugs increased significantly and was controlled by them.

For example, the director of the Kazakh consulting organization Risk Assessment Group, Dosym Satpayev, believes that drugs are produced by Afghan groups opposed to the Taliban movement. By supporting them, NATO turns a blind eye to their drug activities.

Also, according to Michael Bernstam, a professor at Stanford University, the Taliban "banned drugs and punished them harshly" by repressing drug producers. He accused NATO of having a “humanitarian attitude” towards drug-producing populations.

Population

Population: 28.4 million (estimated as of July 2009)
Annual growth - 2.6%
Birth rate - 45.5 per 1000 (4th highest in the world)
Mortality - 19.2 per 1000 (8th highest in the world)
Fertility - 6.5 births per woman (4th highest in the world)
Infant mortality - 247 per 1000 (1st place in the world; UN data at the end of 2009)
Average life expectancy is 44.6 years (214th in the world)
Urban population — 24 %
Literacy - 43% men, 12% women (2000 est.)

Afghanistan - multinational state. Its population consists of various ethnic groups belonging to different language families- Iranian, Turkic and others.
The most numerous ethnic group are the Pashtuns - their numbers range, according to various estimates, from 39.4 to 42% of the population. The second largest group is the Farsivans (“Persian-speaking”) - from 27 to 38%. The third group is the Hazaras - from 8 to 10%. The fourth largest ethnic group, Uzbeks, range from 6 to 9.2%. Less numerous ethnic groups - aimaks, Turkmen, Baloch make up 4.3-01%, 1-3% and 0.5-2%, respectively. Other ethnic groups account for from 1 to 4%.

Culture

Afghanistan has ancient history, a culture that has survived to this day in the form various languages and monuments. However, many historical monuments were destroyed during the war. Two famous Buddha statues in Bamiyan province were destroyed by the Taliban, who viewed them as “idolatrous” and “pagan.” Other famous architectural monuments are located in the cities of Kandahar, Ghazni and Balkh. The Jam Minaret, in the valley of the Khari River, is included in the UNESCO World Heritage List. Muhammad's cloak is kept inside the famous Khalkha Sharif in the city of Kandahar.

Literature

Although the literacy rate is very low, classic Persian poetry plays a very important role in Afghan culture. Poetry has always been one of the main pillars of education in Iran and Afghanistan, to such an extent that it has become integrated into the culture. Persian culture still has an impact big influence on Afghan culture. Closed poetry competitions, known as musha'era, are held quite often even among ordinary people. Almost every home has one or more collections of poetry, even if they are not read often.

Sport

Buzkashi is the national sport of Afghanistan. Riders are divided into two teams, playing in a field; each team tries to capture and hold the skin of a goat. Although literacy rates are very low, classic Persian poetry plays a very important role in Afghan culture. Poetry has always been one of the main pillars of education in Iran and Afghanistan, to such an extent that it has become integrated into the culture. Persian culture still has a major influence on Afghan culture. Closed poetry competitions, known as musha'era, are held quite often even among ordinary people. Almost every home has one or more collections of poetry, even if they are not read often.

The eastern dialect of Persian is commonly known as Dari. The name itself comes from “Parsi-e derbari” (“court Farsi”). The ancient name "Dari" - one of the original names of the Persian language - was restored in the Afghan Constitution of 1964 and was intended to “... show that Afghans consider their country to be the cradle of the language. Thus, the name “Farsi”, as the language of the Persians, should be strictly avoided.”

Religion

The dominant religion is Islam - it is professed by over 90% of the population. Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism, Zoroastrianism are also widespread, and various autochthonous pagan cults and syncretic beliefs (Yazidis, etc.) are numerous.

According to the results of a 2011 study by the international Christian charitable organization Open Doors, Afghanistan ranks 3rd in the list of countries where the rights of Christians are most often oppressed.

President Vladimir Putin said that the USSR's Afghan campaign was a mistake, but noted that the Soviet military was in the country at the request of the current president. Soviet troops entered Afghanistan on December 25, 1979 and stayed there for 9 years and 1 month. The conflict itself in Afghanistan continues to this day. Many political scientists and historians criticize the invasion of Soviet troops and call it a catalyst for intra-Afghan conflicts. Is this really so and was the Afghan company a mistake - Diletant. media asked experts.

Questions:

Was the Afghan campaign a mistake by the USSR?

Stanislav Eremeev

As you remember, the Soviet Union and Afghanistan always had a good relationship, and when the overthrow of power took place in Afghanistan, and the armed forces came to power, it seems to me that this was the case when the revolution clearly showed all its depravity. As we know, exporting revolution is nowhere possible... Geopolitically, and it seems to me that Putin spoke about this, any attempt to speed up historical development, trying to impose certain values ​​on one or another ethnic group without taking into account the characteristics of this people is doomed to failure. Modern history confirmation of this.

Gennady Gudkov

This was an absolute mistake, which led to a change in the attitude of the Afghan people towards us, since the Soviet Union used to be the most desirable country there, soviet people were the most welcome guests in Afghanistan. We were allowed absolutely everything there. It was an attitude that is rarely seen in international relations. When our army invaded Afghanistan, this attitude changed dramatically. Moreover, it is known that the residency was categorically against the introduction of troops, at least I heard about this from our teachers. At least, the reaction to the information from the station and the embassy was very sharp on the part of the Politburo, and even someone was punished for “biased” and “inaccurate” information. As we see now, they turned out to be right, but the Soviet political leadership, which started this war for the sake of its goals and ambitions, was not. This war did not yield anything and plunged chaos into Afghanistan itself; today we see illegal Islamists there, incessant wars between various parts countries and so on. The Americans made the same mistake when they entered Afghanistan after us. Now we know that the production of the drug is flourishing there, which is now pouring into our country and Europe. Therefore, it is quite obvious that this is a mistake that brought a lot of grief, not so much to the Soviet Union, but to the Afghan population, who suffered colossal losses.

Could the military coup in Afghanistan in 1978, like the subsequent invasion of Soviet troops, have been planned by the Soviet leadership?

Stanislav Eremeev

About Afghan war Many books have been written, many versions exist. But the main problem is that, having overthrown the official government there, overthrowing the king and bringing the armed forces to power, they were faced with the fact that inside Afghanistan itself those forces that had previously been silent began to move, overthrowing those masses of the totalitarian regime who ruled this country. This gives us parallels, for example, think about the Middle East. Whether it was Hussein, whether it was Gadaffi, these regimes cemented the statehood of these regions, with their departure from the political arena we got chaos. The same thing happened in Afghanistan.

Gennady Gudkov

I'm afraid so. As far as I know, this coup happened because the Soviet Union promised armed support. If these negotiations, consultations and promises had not taken place, such a military coup would hardly have happened. It is clear that there was a king and excellent relations, but it seems to me that the Afghans had to figure out their country themselves, without our intervention, without our tutelage. I no longer remember the nuances so well, but it is quite obvious that this was a serious mistake, and many serious coups, including the storming of Amin’s palace, are a serious mistake. Amin was “our man,” so I think that there was a lot in the Afghan campaign that can only emerge with a subsequent in-depth study of history.

How big is the echo now from the Afghan campaign in Afghanistan and modern Russia?

Stanislav Eremeev

It is no coincidence that at one time the Soviet leadership decided to send troops. Let's not forget the fears that it is from that country that not only an ideological, but also a military threat will come to ours. Our neighboring republics experienced this pressure. The main problem was drug trafficking, and this factor also could not be ignored. In the context of the global confrontation of the Cold War, real, no longer cold wars arose in many parts of our planet. This one cold war and is reflected in decision making.

Gennady Gudkov

Now the consequences, of course, are not as acute as they were then. We used to have the expression “Afghan syndrome” - there was a whole generation suffering from it, a generation fighting for someone unknown and for what, and then in their homeland it turned out to be of no use to anyone, especially when there was a change in formations. And this “Afghan Syndrome” - I know a lot about this, because a lot of employees worked in our company, including those who went through Afghanistan, and we saw how different these guys are in their psychotype of behavior. We can now honestly say that we were not very willing to hire people who had been through such hot spots. One could expect any unpredictable reactions from them, and in business this is unacceptable. In general, the “Afghan syndrome” was vaguely reminiscent of what Remarque described in his novels.

Could the Afghan campaign have contributed to the collapse of the USSR?

Stanislav Eremeev

In a systemic crisis, there is never just one reason, there is a whole chain of reasons. In this case, we must directly admit that the Cold War imposed on us turned out to be a heavy burden for our country, aimed by the United States at weakening the Soviet Union. The overstrain that this war brought was the last straw.

The West arranged former USSR second Vietnam in Afghanistan. Years later, the United States also fell into this trap, says the director of the Analytical Center of the Moscow state institute international relations Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Russia, Doctor of Political Sciences Andrey Kazantsev.

If you give the answer in general, without nuances, then the operation can be considered a failure.

— Will this war turn out to be another Vietnam for the United States?

Obama "put" Afghanistan as the main foreign policy topic in the field of security and the fight against terrorism. Therefore, he cannot allow the Americans to suffer a crushing defeat there. Meanwhile, many are already drawing parallels between the impending hasty withdrawal of troops and what happened in South Vietnam, where the situation was similarly completely transferred into the hands of the Saigon regime.

As is known, he soon fell under the onslaught of the Viet Cong.

- Will the withdrawal of American troops lead to a new round of the Afghan conflict?

The conflict in Afghanistan will only intensify after the withdrawal of the bulk of US troops. The Americans' hopes that the situation in the country will somehow settle down on its own, and that the planned elections will magically produce an effective and non-extremist government, are very doubtful.

- To what extent is the Afghan army capable of independently resisting extremists?

The combat effectiveness of the Afghan army is very low, and its morale is no better. On July 15, Afghan Ministry of Defense spokesman General Zamir Azimi officially confirmed that as security responsibilities were transferred from international forces to the Afghan army, the number of military casualties had “increased dramatically.”

Moreover, the corrupt Karzai regime “managed” to weaken both military base, which opposed the Taliban represented by the former Northern Alliance, which consisted of national minorities (Tajiks, Uzbeks, etc.). As a result, the Taliban and allied extremist groups, which have a very strong component of people from the post-Soviet space (Uzbekistan, Russia, etc.), returned to the north of Afghanistan, from where they had previously been expelled by the Americans.

True, for now, governors in non-Pashtun provinces continue to remain an impressive force, maintaining military formations in a hidden way. One can predict the intensification of clashes between the Taliban, who largely represent the Pashtun nationalist element, and the forces of national minorities. The latter are in the hands of governors, who again, as in the 1990s, can become ordinary field commanders.

If there are enough Americans, then, for example, with the help of airstrikes, they will be able to “cover” at least Kabul and the northern provinces from the Taliban. If the US continues to invest heavily in Afghanistan national army and will actively support it with aviation and artillery, then, perhaps, they will also hold some cities in the Pashtun south. If there are very few Americans, and they do not show their noses outside the military bases, then the Taliban can capture cities in the south and Kabul and will even be able to move the front line to the north, i.e. The scenario of the war between the Taliban and the Northern Alliance in the 1990s will completely repeat.

- What can Russia expect from this American step? Is it beneficial for us in a geopolitical sense?

In principle, Obama's foreign strategy involves seeking common language with Russia in both Europe and Central Eurasia. This was the meaning of the policy of “rebooting” relations. If this attempt were successful, then the withdrawal of most of the American troops from Afghanistan would lead to increased cooperation between the United States and Russia not only in the “northern transit” (base in Ulyanovsk), but also in the entire complex of combating new security threats - terrorism, drug trafficking and etc. However, the worsening of Russian-American relations in Lately clearly eliminates this possibility.

It must be admitted that Russia and the United States will continue to fight for influence in Central Asia. True, the US’s capabilities in the region are no longer the same, there is not enough money, so the role of a number of new players, such as China and India, is increasing. At the same time, various types of geopolitical conflicts new to the region will intensify: between China and the United States, between India and Pakistan, and others.

Most of Afghanistan's territory is occupied by mountains. The Hindu Kush ridges stretch from east to west (up to 6729 m), including a belt of eternal snow. In the southern part of the country there is the Ghazni-Kandahar plateau, and on the northern and southwestern outskirts there are desert plains. The vegetation is highly diverse, but almost everywhere, even in the monsoon-influenced southeastern region, it is dominated by drought-resistant species. Only in the irrigated Jalalabad Valley do date palms, cypresses, olive trees, citrus fruits.

First Afghan state entities arose in the 16th century. In 1747-1818 there was a Durrani state. In the 19th century, England made several attempts to subjugate Afghanistan (Anglo-Afghan Wars). These attempts ended in failure, but the British achieved control over foreign policy Afghanistan. In 1919, the government of Amanullah Khan declared the independence of Afghanistan. In July 1973, Afghanistan was declared a republic. In 1978, the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan committed coup d'etat and proclaimed a course towards building socialism. A civil war began in the country. In 1979, Soviet troops were brought into Afghanistan to help the PDPA retain power. Soon after the withdrawal of Soviet troops (1989), the Mujahideen, supporters of the Islamic state, came to power in 1992. However, the civil war did not end there: contradictions between individual Islamic groups led to more and more new conflicts. In the mid-1990s, most of Afghanistan (including Kabul) came under the control of Taliban fundamentalists. In October 2001, the Taliban, accused of aiding global terrorism, was overthrown by US forces and their allies.

Capital - ancient city Kabul (1.4 million people), is advantageously located at the crossroads of important transport routes. Other big cities- Mazar-i-Sharif, has long been known as a center of handicraft production and trade with a colorful oriental bazaar; ancient Herat - an oasis and Cultural Center, where the giant Juma Masjid mosque was erected in the 15th century. Afghanistan is an agricultural country whose economy has always been based on pastoralism. The war, which began in the late 1970s, caused enormous damage to the country's economy, significantly destroying the existing agricultural infrastructure and destroying hundreds of libraries, schools, and hospitals.