page_title: Red Army intervention in Afghanistan (1929)
section_title: The situation in Afghanistan
hierarchical_section_title: Red Army intervention in Afghanistan (1929) / The situation in Afghanistan
caption_attribution_description: Русский: Хабибулла (Бачаи-и Сакао)
context_page_description: The Red Army intervention in Afghanistan in 1929 was a special operation aimed at supporting the ousted king of Afghanistan, Amanullah Khan against the Saqqawists and Basmachi.
context_section_description: Since 1919, close diplomatic relations were established between the RSFSR (hereinafter referred to as the USSR) and the Kingdom of Afghanistan, contrary to British interests. In April 1923, a new constitution was adopted in Afghanistan. Among the reforms carried out by Amanullah Khan were the prohibition of polygamy and marriage with minors, the abolition of the obligatory wearing of a veil for women , which led to the creation of a powerful opposition (primarily Muslim clergies). In March 1924, a major uprising broke out in Hazarajat.
  In September 1924, at the invitation of Amanullah Khan, a mission from 11 Soviet flight instructors arrived in Kabul. It was planned to create their own air force in Afghanistan. The United Kingdom, which had already provided Amanullah with de Havilland airplanes , protested, but Amanullah Khan ignored it. On 6 October, Soviet pilots in British aircraft made combat sorties to the Khostinsky rebels area, and on October 14, they bombed rebel bases in the Khost and Nadral regions.
  On 15 September 1927, the Politburo of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union decided to transfer to the southern neighbor 12 R-1 airplanes, 2 anti-aircraft batteries (8 guns) and funds for the flight school.
  At the same time, a wave of emigrants from the Central Asian republics who fled from Soviet power swept the north of Afghanistan. In their midst, with the financial and material (arms) support of the United Kingdom, a movement was strengthened that was called Basmachism in the Soviet Union, and its members called themselves Mujahideen. The most influential leader of this movement was Ibrahim Bek. The Soviet government exerted strong pressure on the Afghan government.
  Amanullah Khan sharply limited access to help the British intelligence agencies. In November 1928, a new uprising broke out in eastern Afghanistan. It was led by the Habibullāh Kalakāni (Bacha-ye Saqao). Many researchers believe that he was supervised by T.E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia). Tajik historian Kamoludin Abdullaev does not confirm this idea.
  Habibullah was supported by religious leaders. He accused Amanullah Khan of violating the Sharia, declaring the abolition of all bourgeois reforms, promising the abolition of the land tax, conscription, and announcing the cancellation of debts, which attracted a huge crowd. Justice was to be administered by the Sharia court. Schools were closed, and education was transferred under the control of the mullahs. In addition, Khabibulla established close contacts with the leader of the Basmachi movement, Ibrahim Bek, and former Emir of Bukhara, Mohammed Alim Khan.
  On 11 December 1928, Habibullah was proclaimed the Padishah of Afghanistan, and on January 13 he was declared emir "Habibullah II". On 14 January 1929, Amanullah Khan abdicated and fled to Kandahar. On 17 January, Habibullah occupied Kabul. Ethnic and religious slaughter began in the city. Pashtuns, professing Sunni Islam, massacred the Shia Hazaras. The pogroms of schools, factories, radio stations began.
  State control over other provinces of Afghanistan was lost. Chaos reigned in the country. Ibrahim Bek recalled that riots had begun, one village went to another, settling old accounts. Afghan historian Mir Gulam Muhammad Gubar, a contemporary of those events, wrote that the reign of Habibullah was a tragedy for the country.
caption: Habibullah Kalakani.
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