The guerrillas began firing launch bombs at my base camp shortly after we created a security zone. These attacks were launched from the green zone along the Helmand river. In early 1987, we conducted an operation, in conjunction with the Afghan Army, to clean out the guerrilla forces from Lashkargah and to establish observation posts in the green zone for a Sarandoy battalion. After the operation, we established another security outpost in the Qala-Bust fort in order to control the green zone adjacent to the observation posts. We garrisoned this outpost with another Sarandoy battalion. We maintained close coordination with the Sarandoy through a liaison officer.

Map 33: Base Camp defense.

In order to protect my men from mortar and light machine-gun fire, I paid a lot of attention to digging in and fortifying the positions. Every squad was completely dug in. Every firing position was linked to its platoon positions by communications trenches. Each fighting position had a dug-in sleeping quarters (where possible), ammunition point, platoon command post, dining room, water point, wash room and latrine. In order to improve observation, I established forward security posts which consisted of a BTR machine-gunner, a driver and a rifleman. These were placed in position at 1800 hours following the issuance of the combat order and challenge and password. They were checked every two hours and changed every four hours by the platoon leader or his assistant. During the night, these posts were only allowed to fire on semiautomatic as a warning or probe. If they fired a burst on full automatic, the entire force would occupy its fighting positions. Artillery fired scheduled harassing and interdicting fires and had fires planned throughout the area. We were also able to open fire without warning when a target appeared in my AOR at night. At daybreak, I pulled all my forward posts back and fired on any person, convoy or caravan that we discovered in the Registan Desert within four kilometers of my camp. None of my personnel was allowed to withdraw from a fighting position.

Every six months, the battalion commander ordered rotation of subunits. The rotation occurred during daylight. Subunits coming off base camp defense were assigned to convoy security duties. In preparation for these duties, we trained the subunits in procedures for clearing roads of mines, checking and clearing bridges, defeating enemy attacks and evacuating vehicles under fire.

Editor’s Commentary: The 70th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade was headquartered in Kandahar, while this schematic shows a brigade headquarters in the Lashkargah base camp-some 150 kilometers away. Despite the text, this headquarters is that of one of two Soviet SPETSNAZ brigades. The brigade also had a battalion and supporting elements in Lashkargah. The sketch shows the brigade headquarters, three battalion headquarters, two artillery batteries, a helipad and a radio-electronic warfare company in the base camp. The motorized rifle battalion provided security for the SPETSNAZ elements. The area of this base camp is only a little over 11 square kilometers. This must have been very cramped and a tempting target for mujahideen gunners.

34. LOC Security

by LTC M. Tubeev.

The first priority of mujahideen commanders was to disrupt the movement of convoys travelling on the main roads of Afghanistan. Motorized rifle subunits were usually responsible for route security. Normally, a motorized rifle battalion would be responsible for a 40 to 150 kilometer stretch of road, whereas a company would cover from two to ten kilometers. In February 1986, my 3rd Motorized Rifle Battalion, reinforced with a tank company and two artillery batteries, was responsible for the security of a 102-kilometer stretch of road along the Puli-Charkhi to Jalabad highway as well as the security of the Naghlu power dam site.¹⁸ I could field 11 tanks, 42 BMPs, twelve self-propelled howitzers, 27 82mm mortars, nine twin-barrelled anti-aircraft guns,¹⁹ and 23 AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers. I decided to split the area into three sections. My 7th MRC had a 32-kilometer section, my 8th MRC had a 40-kilometer section and my 9th MRC had a 30-kilometer section. I determined the length of each section after considering the terrain, key sites, enemy activity and the line strength of my subunits. I considered several solutions, before I selected the one which seemed to best concentrate combat power in critical sectors.

Map 34: LOC security.

My LOC security was based on a series of security outposts running the length of the road. An outpost was usually occupied by a motorized rifle platoon, one or two AGS-17 automatic grenade launchers, one or two heavy “Utes” or DShK machine guns, one or two 82mm mortars and a tank. These could be combined into a security detachment (a motorized rifle company or battalion reinforced with artillery, tanks, and engineers).

The security outposts functioned around the clock. During the day, one man per squad or tank was on watch while a two-man patrol worked the area. At night, every security outpost would send out one or two security points. These four-man points were located 500 to 800 meters from the security outpost and had wire and visual communications with the outpost. The outpost could cover the point with fire.

Each security outpost had a full perimeter defense in order to defeat a mujahideen attack from any direction. Each platoon had primary and alternate sectors of fire with interlocking fields of fire with adjacent units. Crew-served weapons had reserve positions and reserve sectors of fire. Artillery fire planning was carefully done. Artillery subunits were usually colocated in the security outposts with the motorized rifle subunits. The artillery was positioned in order to effectively support all the security outposts. Artillery fires were planned on all likely axes on which the mujahideen could move. Targets were registered and numbered. The targets and their coordinates were maintained by the security outposts, artillery guns crews and by the battalion headquarters. Fires could be adjusted from preplanned targets by the security outpost commander or, if he could not communicate directly with the artillery subunit, through the battalion commander. Normally, it took not more than two to four minutes to bring artillery fire onto a group of mujahideen.

We selected the positions for the outposts carefully and fortified them thoroughly. We piled up earth and stones to make complete trenchworks, bunkers, and ammunition, food and water points. We ran two rows of barbed wire fence around each outpost and put anti-personnel mines between the fences. We put trip flares and sensors at remote and concealed approaches to the outposts. The entrance and exit to the security outposts were closed and mined at night. Rules of conduct were posted at the perimeter of the security zone and outside the security outposts. The signs were in the Afghan, Russian and English languages.²⁰

Every security outpost had five combat loads of ammunition,²¹ and 10 days worth of food, water and fuel. Night-vision devices, “Blik” binoculars, night scopes, parachute flares and tracer ammunition were available for night-time employment.

Each security outpost maintained the following documents and maps:

the combat mission of the outpost and the sequence of mission fulfillment:

the commander’s map marked with positions, fire plans and known enemy situation;

a diagram of the strongpoint;

orders from the battalion commander;

combat orders of the security outpost commander;

an observation schedule;