AFGHANISTAN SITUATION REPORT

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP96R01136R001302260009-7
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 9
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 17, 2013
• Sequence Number: 9
• Publication Date: May 14, 1985
• Content Type: REPORT

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Afghanistan Situation Report
14 May 1985
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AFGHANISTAN SITUATION REPORT
CONTENTS
INSURGENTS ATTACK AIRFIELDS
Insurgents attacked four airfields in early May,
despite Soviet and Af-han attempts to improve
security.
PROMOTIONS FAVOR PARCHAMIS
Recent regime military promotions heavily favored
officers who belonged either to the Parchami
faction of the PDPA or KHAD.
TRANSPORTATION COSTS INCREASING
The cost of transporting goods from Pakistan to
Afghanistan is increasing because f
escalating cost of pack animals.
HIGH-LEVEL PERSONNEL CHANGES PENDING?
Babrak Karmal's departure for Moscow, probably
including medical treatment, and the replacement
of an Afghan Politburo member have triggered
rumors of more serso n hanges in the Afghan
Government.
IN BRIEF
UPCOMING EVENTS
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PERSPECTIVE
AFGHANISTAN IN APRIL
This document is prepared weekly by the Office of
Near Eastern and South Asian Analysis and the
Office of Soviet Analysis.
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INSURGENTS ATTACK AIRFIELDS
US Embassy sources
report that insurgents bombed Jalalabad airport on
2 May during the arrival of delegates returning to the
tity from the regime's Loya Jirga. A week earlier,
guerrillas attempted to rocket the airfield but hit a
nearby Soviet encampment, causing some 25 casualties
according to Embassy sources.
Comment: The recent insurgent attacks occurred despite
renewed Soviet attempts to improve security around
airfields. Improvements in resistance weapons
holdings--such as incendiary shells and rockets with a
greater range than those available early in the war--
are enabling the insurgents to adapt their tactics to
counter improved Soviet defenses and increased Soviet
patrols around airfields.
PROMOTIONS FAVOR PARCHAMIS
Members of Babrak Karmal's Parchami faction of the PDPA
dominated promotions announced during the seventh
anniversary of the 1978 coup. Two prominent Khalqis,
Interior Minister Gulabzoi and Defense Minister Nazar
Mohammad, were promoted to the rank of major general,
but six of the seven others raised to that rank are
Parchamis. Of the 19 officers promoted to brigadier
general, a significant majority belong to the Parchami
faction, and more than half are members of the KHAD,
the Afghan Government intelligence service.
Comment: The Parchamis have been unable to alter the
factional balance among the military officers, which
reportedly still favors the Khalqis. The regime
probably is trying to compensate for this by increasing
the influence of KHAD, dominated by the Parchamis, in
the military. The promotions of Gulabzoi--the
unofficial head of the Khalqi faction--and Nazar
Mohammad suggests that the regime recognizes the need,
or was urged by the Soviets, not to appear too one-
sided in the promotions.
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resistance. Guerrilla forces received warnings of
Soviet plans for operations near Kabul and were
prepared for the attacks. Heavy fighting around
Paghman reportedly resulted in high casualties among
Soviet and Afghan forces and civilians. Insurgents
also rocketed Kabul for ti-e first time in four months
but caused little damage.
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Outlook
Soviet efforts probably will focus on the border
regions in attempts to stem the flow of arms from
Pakistan and Iran. The deployment of Spetsnaz units
indicates that the Soviets believe in many instances
that small unit operations are more effective than
large-scale operations. The Soviets are relying
increasingly on heliborn rations to catch the
guerrillas off guard.
the Soviets will gain
some victories, as they reported in Konduz in April,
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