Battle of Jaji

Battle of Jaji
Part of the Soviet–Afghan War
DateMay 12 – June 4, 1987[1]
Location
Paktia, Republic of Afghanistan
Result

MAK victory

  • Soviet/Afghan government failure to capture the MAK base
Belligerents
 Soviet Union
Afghanistan Republic of Afghanistan		 Maktab al-Khidamat
Supported by:
Afghan mujahideen
Pakistan Pakistan
Commanders and leaders
Soviet Union Boris Gromov
Afghanistan M. Najibullah		 Abdullah Azzam
Osama bin Laden (WIA)
Abu Ubayda (WIA)
Abu Hafs
Units involved

Afghanistan Afghan Army

  • 12th Division
    • 36th Regiment
Strength
Soviet Union ~200 Paratroopers[2]
Afghanistan Unknown number		 Unknown[2][3]
Casualties and losses
Soviet Union Unknown
Afghanistan Unknown		 80+ killed

The Battle of Jaji was fought during the Soviet–Afghan War between Soviet Army units, and their allies of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against Maktab al-Khidamat in Paktia Province. This battle occurred in May 1987, during the first stage of withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan.[4] The objective was to relieve a besieged garrison at Ali Sher, and cut off supply lines to the Mujahideen from Pakistan.[5] The battle is primarily known for the participation of the Arab foreign fighter and future founder of Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, who acquired his reputation as a divine jihadist warrior as a result of the Mujahideen victory during this battle. Bin Laden led a group of some 50 Arab foreign fighters during this battle, of which at least 13 were killed in action.

  1. ^ Bergen, Peter (2021). The Rise and Fall of Osama bin Laden: The Biography. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-9821-7052-3.
  2. ^ a b Coll, Steve (2004). Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001. Penguin Books. p. 163. ISBN 1-59420-007-6.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference berg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Grau, Lester. "Breaking contact without leaving chaos: the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan" (PDF). Foreign Military Studies Office Publications. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-11-27. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
  5. ^ Isby, David (1989). War in a Distant Country, Afghanistan: Invasion and Resistance. Arms and Armour Press. pp. 42. ISBN 0-85368-769-2.