Soviet-Afghan War
Soviet intervention and insurgency in Afghanistan that became a major late Cold War conflict.
Historical overview
Overview adapted from a Wikipedia summary and stored locally on May 11, 2026.
The Soviet–Afghan War took place in Afghanistan from December 1979 to February 1989. Marking the beginning of the 47-year-long Afghan conflict, it saw the Soviet Union and the Afghan military fight against the rebelling Afghan mujahideen, aided by Pakistan. While they were backed by various countries and organizations, the majority of the mujahideen's support came from Pakistan, the United States, the United Kingdom, China, Iran, and the Arab states of the Persian Gulf, in addition to a large influx of foreign fighters known as the Afghan Arabs. American and British involvement on the side of the mujahideen escalated the Cold War, ending a short period of relaxed Soviet Union–United States relations.
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Border context
Decolonization and proxy wars
Postcolonial borders, Cold War interventions and regional wars define much of Africa, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.
Portuguese Africa moves toward independence. The 1967 war changes control of Sinai, Gaza, West Bank, East Jerusalem and Golan Heights.Late Cold War conflict belt
Major wars stretch from Afghanistan and the Gulf to southern Africa, Central America and South Asia.
The Iran-Iraq War hardens Gulf security politics. Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan precedes the end of the Cold War.