Photos Afghan civil war (1989 to 2001) Photos & Videos

[F.L.]

A thread to post pictures & videos of the Afghan civil war, which lasted from 1989 to 1992 for the fight against the Communist government of Mohammad Najibullah, then from 1992 to 2001 for the fight of the Mujahideen between them.
The particularity of this civil war is that most of the warlords had an air force, for some just equipped with helicopters, but many others had MiG-21 (FL, PFM, bis) and Su-17/22. This led to several air battles, and a dozen air-to-air victories.

 

[F.L.]

Jan J. Safarik: Air Aces Home Page

Dostum AF MiG-21PFM, (350 white) April 1992.

Massoud AF MiG-21FL (72 red) based at Bagram until ~1996.

All images of warlords Air forces aircrafts are welcome !

 

[F.L.]

MiG-21FL "72 red" abandoned at Bagram (c2002)

 

[F.L.]

This image is extraordinary, because it shows a Su-17M2 on the air base of Shindand around 2001. It carries the insignia of one of the Afghan air forces that fought in the civil war. But above all it is still in good condition !

 

[F.L.]

This MiG-21UM, bort 0549 red is well-photographied in several occasions.

A nice artwork of two MiG-21bis of a warlord Air Force patrolling over the Hindu Kush.

 

[F.L.]

This MiG-21bis, bort 923, have been used by Taliban's AF until October 2001, when he was one of only two Fishbeds to survive US airstrikes. After Taliban defeat, it was sporadically flown by Ismail Khan air force during a few year.

The second Taliban Fishbed to survive were the MiG-21UM, bort 561, who originally received a unique camo during its service with Taliban AF. It is shown here with S-24B unguided rockets.

 

[F.L.]

This MiG-21bis-K is one of the longest-serving Afghan Fishbeds. It was probably delivred in 1988/89, & captured by Dostum warlord at Mazar-e Sharif and served with his air force until 1997. Later, Dostum was forced to exile and his AF taken over by Abdul Malik Pahlawan. "352" was then flown to Kulob airport in Tadjikistan. Later, it returned to Kabul but unfortunatly crashed at an unknown date (~2005).

 

[F.L.]

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[F.L.]

Massoud : one of the few just men in this war. A man who did not have the ambitions of warlords, but wanted to bring peace to his country, which was then torn apart by foreign-backed parties.
He was the only mujahedin leader considered by the Soviets as a valid interlocutor.

 

[F.L.]

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[F.L.]

An Mi-24 or 35 of Massoud air force over Kabul in 1992.

 

[F.L.]

Abandoned S-125 system near Kabul in October 1996.

During the civil war, on 30 January 1994, one fighter jet of Junbish-E Milli AF was shooted down by Massoud's S-125 near Charikar.
Throughout the civil war, some S-75 & S-125, stayed in service with warlords "armies".
During Enduring Freedom, Taliban Air Defence fired some SAMs & MANPADS against allied aircrafts, all of which missed.

 

[F.L.]

Massoud's BM-21 Grad firing near Kabul, October 1996.

Firing RPG-7.

 

[F.L.]

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[F.L.]

Mi-24 or 35 of Dostum air force, in November 1996.

 

[downsizer]

Where is Dostum now I wonder......

 

[F.L.]

Taliban show of force (~2001)

 

[BravoZulu]

CIA's Special Activities Division officers in the back of an Mi-8 with $3 million cash in cardboard boxes. Enroute to the commanders of the Northern Alliance to pay their troops fighting against AQ and the Taliban. Sept. 2001