100. Telegram From the Embassy in Afghanistan to the Department of State1
8627. Sitrept No. 1. Subj: Heavy Fighting Erupts Between Soviet and Afghan Forces in Kabul.
1. At approximately 1930 Dec 27 heavy fighting broke out in Kabul involving the units of the Soviet forces brought into this city over the past two days. There has been heavy fighting at Radio Afghanistan (RA) next to the Embassy, and two tanks have been knocked out and are burning behind RA. The Soviet forces were seen moving quickly to secure RA, and it appears initially that they caught the Afghan units by surprise. It remains unclear, however, whether all Afghan military units are resisting the Soviet forces. There have been signs that fighting may be taking place in or around some of the military bases on the outskirts of the capital. There has as yet been no air activity of any kind over the city. Afghans have been seen as prisoners of Soviet troops at RA. Our preliminary assessment is that although it is possible that the Afghan military has split into pro and anti-Soviet elements as a reaction to the recent massive airlift, we may also be looking at a Soviet attempt to overthrow the present Afghan regime by force.
2. We are in a phase three alert and all Americans have been advised to remain where they are for the night. No Americans have been reported injured in the fighting. The Mission is manned by a skeleton staff, and we are in communication with the community by radio. The city’s phone system is dead. The Embassy building has been hit by small arms fire, but no significant damage has been caused.
3. At about 2215, someone broke in to the heretofore regular Radio Afghanistan programming and announced that “Amin is finished, Amin was no good, we support all Afghans and Mullahs.” This particular and very brief transmission was not of high quality, but that could indicate that it did in fact emanate from the embattled Radio Afghanistan building next door. The speaker did not identify himself, nor did he apparently extend his wrath to the party or the revolution.
4. We have no idea of the present fate of Hafizullah Amin nor his supporters. What is clear is that the Soviet units control the Radio [Page 276] Afghanistan compound, although they may not fully control access to all microphones. Dance music has now returned to the airwaves.
5. As of 2230, fighting has died down near the Embassy, but sounds of distant firing in various directions continue. Tracer rounds have been seen in the direction of Kabul Airport, and at about 2200 a [garble] turboprop aircraft was heard over the city. It is not sure that it attempted to land.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Cables File, Box 1, Afghanistan: 12/27/79. Confidential; Limited Official Use; Flash. Sent for information Niact Immediate to Moscow. Also sent for information Immediate to New Delhi, Islamabad, Karachi, CINCPAC (also for POLAD), and CINCEUR (also for POLAD). Printed from a copy received in the White House Situation Room.↩