The Sarandoy ("Defenders of the Revolution") were a gendarme police force of the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan in the 1980s,[1] during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. They were administered by the Ministry of the Interior, and led by Sayed Muhammad Gulabzoi. At one point, the Sarandoy held 115,000 men, compared to the Afghan Army's 160,000,[2]while at other points the Sarandoy were said to exceed the Army.
The Sarandoy was subject to internal politics,[3] as its forces were controlled by the Khalqi Communist faction, opposed to the Parchami communist faction which controlled the KhAD intelligence services. Accordingly, the Sarandoy and the KhAD found battles against each other on occasion.[4]