Siege of Urgun

Siege of Urgun
Part of the Soviet-Afghan War
Districts of Paktika province
Date August 1983 – January 16, 1984 Location Urgun, Paktika Province, Afghanistan Result DRA victory
Belligerents
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan	Afghan Mujahideen Islamic Union Hezb-e Islami Khalis NIFA Haqqani network Pashtun Tribesmen
Commanders and leaders
General Jamaluddin Omar Colonel Sayed Rahman	Jalaluddin Haqqani Arsala Rahmani Gulbaz Matiullah Mawlawi Ahmad Gul Qauzi Kharoti
Strength
DRA: 900 (garrison) Local militia	800+
Casualties and losses
DRA: At least 243 captured	600 killed (Soviet claim)

Afghan Mujahideen

The Siege of Urgun was a military engagement that took place during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. Between August 1983 and January 1984 Mujahideen forces laid siege to the town of Urgun, which was defended by a garrison of troops loyal to the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (the "DRA"). The mujahideen tried to take the town by storm using tanks, but despite making initial progress, they were eventually driven back and the siege was lifted.

Starting in July 1983, large numbers of Mujahideen fighters began to concentrate around Urgun. The town represented a political objective, in that the newly formed Mujahideen government-in-exile had set its sights on Urgun as a future provisional capital. The attacking Mujahideen belonged to three different parties: Sayyaf's Islamic Union for the Liberation of Afghanistan, Khalis' Hezb-e Islami Khalis (HIK), and Gailani's National Islamic Front of Afghanistan (NIFA). They were joined by a certain number of freelance Pashtun tribesmen, attracted by the prospect of loot. Sayyaf managed to persuade major commanders, such as Jalaluddin Haqqani, to participate in the offensive. The mujahideen belonged to the Wazir, Jadran and Kharoti tribes.

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