Battle of Jaji

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Battle of Jaji

Date	May 20 - June 13, 1987
Location	Pakistani-Afghan border
Result	Unclear

Belligerents

Soviet Union,

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

Afghan and Arab Mujahideen

Commanders

Jalaluddin Haqqani,
Osama bin Laden

v • d • e Soviet war in Afghanistan

U.S. involvement – Storm-333 – Khost – Panjsher – Maravar Pass – Badaber Uprising – Zhawar – Jaji – Magistral – Hill 3234 – Arrow – Soviet withdrawal

The Battle of Jaji occurred in May 1987, during the first stage of withdrawal of Soviet forces from their failed invasion of Afghanistan.^[1] Remaining Soviet troops supported the Soviet-backed government's operations in Paktia Province against the Mujahideen, hoping to relieve a besieged garrison at Ali Sher, and cut off supply lines to the Mujahideen from Pakistan.^[2]

The Mujahideen al-Masada compound in had been constructed by Osama bin Laden, in order to have a training facility that didn't rely on Pakistan.^[3] On May 20, after Ali Sher had been relieved,^{[citation needed]} Jaji was attacked by Russian Airborne Troops, Spetznaz, the Soviet-backed Afghan Army and tribal militias.^{[citation needed]}

The Mujahideen army numbered in the thousands, having drawn recruits from the surrounding area,^[4] including forces from all seven of the resistance parties. Among the leaders were Jalaluddin Haqqani and Mohammed Anwar, whose experienced troops were carrying Stinger and Blowpipe missiles that threatened Soviet gunships.^[2]

Eventually, after 24 days of combat, a number of Soviet-aligned Afghan soldiers had defected to the Mujahideen, and the Soviets, having made no headway, decided to pull back.^{[citation needed]}

This battle later became famous due the participation of Osama bin Laden, whose force of 50 Mujahideen resisted the assaults of 200 Soviet Spetznaz for a week, according to the reports of the time.^[5] However, some suggest that bin Laden and his fighters eventually retreated after taking losses.^[6]

At least 12 of the defenders, chiefly Arab volunteers, were killed in the week-long battle, and Bin Laden suffered a foot wound.^[7] Ahmed Said Khadr would often praise the bravery of the fighters in Jaji to his children, but refused to confirm whetheror not he had actually participated.^[8]

In the end, the mujahideen successfully held their complex system of tunnels and caves named al-Masada ("Lion's Den") just outside the village of Jaji, near the Pakistani border, from Soviet capture.^[9]^[4]

Although relatively unimportant in military terms, the battle had been chronicled daily by Arab press outlets during its firefights, and left an impression of bin Laden as a victorious military leader, attracting a number of followers to his cause.^[10]