The Afghan Martyrs — Page 31
and on 27th May 1978, as a result of a Communist revolution, Sardar Daood, along with all members of his family, was shot dead. A COlnmunist government was then fumly established in Afghanistan. The Communists made Noor Mohammad Turkai their leader but he too was killed in 1979. Mter this Hafizulla Ameen assumed authonty over the government and after he was killed Babrak Karmal became the Head of State. From April 1986 to April 1992 Najeebulla Khan became the President with absolute authority. On his resignation, based on the 'Peshawar Agreement', the Mujahideen formed a government. In it were many factions who had such basic mutual differences that within a year thousands of Afghans were killed at the hands of their own Afghan brethren. Blood baths were repeatedly witnessed in Kabul. In view of severe differences amongst the various Communist factions and other international political considerations, and as a result of direct armed intervention by the Russians the Islamic form of government was replaced by a purely secular government. Americans and other western powers, instead of coming into direct conflict with Russia, managed to get the Afghan population to rise in the name of 'Jehad'. According to very modest estimates, during the thirteen years of that episode, five million Afghans were obliged to take refuge in neighbouring countries and a million and a half perished. On the defeat and withdrawal of the Russians their influence and the influence of the Mghan Communists waned and the very Mujahideen who compelled the Russians to leave Mghanistan got involved in a tug of war. Afghans began to shed the blood of their own Afghan brethren. 31