The Afghan Civil War of 1989–1992: A Fragile Regime and Divided Resistance
Following the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan in 1989, the communist government in Kabul survived far longer than Western intelligence predicted. While mujahideen factions fought to topple the regime, their internal divisions and reliance on competing foreign sponsors turned the struggle into a complex, multi-sided conflict defined by shifting alliances.
The Afghan Civil War began on 15 February 1989, immediately following the Soviet retreat. U.S. intelligence agencies initially anticipated the Republic of Afghanistan government under President Mohammad Najibullah would collapse within three to six months. However, the regime maintained control through massive Soviet military hardware, including over 1,500 tanks and thousands of artillery pieces, alongside a steady stream of Soviet aid valued at up to six billion dollars annually.
A pivotal moment occurred in March 1989 during the Battle of Jalalabad. Mujahideen groups, backed by the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence, attempted to capture the city to establish an interim government. The Afghan Army successfully defended the city, utilizing intensive air support and a massive ballistic missile campaign—the largest since World War II—which shattered the morale of the attacking forces. This failure proved the government could function without direct Soviet combat support, stalling the mujahideen momentum.
The resistance was deeply fractured, primarily between Ahmad Shah Massoud’s Jamiat-e Islami and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s Hezb-e Islami. These factions frequently turned their weapons on each other, often raiding supply lines or executing rival commanders. By 1990, the conflict had evolved into two competing axes: one supported by Pakistan, favoring Hekmatyar, and another increasingly aligned with U.S. interests, centered on Massoud. This lack of a unified command prevented simultaneous offensives, allowing the government to survive until March 1992, when Najibullah finally agreed to step aside.
The war reached a new phase in April 1992. After the collapse of the central government, the mujahideen coalition splintered further. When Hekmatyar refused to join the new interim government established by the Peshawar Accords, he invaded Kabul. This triggered a new, intense civil war between five or six rival mujahideen armies, marking the end of the initial post-Soviet transition period and the beginning of a chaotic struggle for control of the capital.
Source: Afghan Civil War (1989–1992)
