September 25, 1981
Diary of the events surrounding the September 1981 defection of the 913th Afghan Border Battalion
12 September. It became known that the battalion was besieged by the rebels. Two Soviet helicopters landed 500 meters from the battalion and brought in ammunition. At the same time 10 fighters launched strikes on the rebel positions. Four Afghan servicemen flew out to Kandahar on the helicopters but no one gave orders for the wounded to be sent out.
17-18 September. The battalion was again supplied with ammunition by helicopter.
22 September. The battalion was reinforced with a group of eight officers and 22 soldiers headed by the chief of the political department of the brigade brought in by helicopter.
23 September. Radio communications with the battalion were cut off.
25 September. An assault party under the command of advisers was landed in Maruf. Not one person was left at the battalion's location. The structured were ruined and partly burned, and three broken-down armored personnel carriers and two automobiles had been abandoned…
17-18 September. The battalion was again supplied with ammunition by helicopter.
22 September. The battalion was reinforced with a group of eight officers and 22 soldiers headed by the chief of the political department of the brigade brought in by helicopter.
23 September. Radio communications with the battalion were cut off.
25 September. An assault party under the command of advisers was landed in Maruf. Not one person was left at the battalion's location. The structured were ruined and partly burned, and three broken-down armored personnel carriers and two automobiles had been abandoned…
This document consists of diary entries covering the events within the Afghan and Soviet militaries which ultimately led to the defection of the 913th Afghan Border Battalion.
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Cheremnykh, 215-16. Translated for CWIHP by Gary Goldberg.
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