Afghanistan — Historical Events Description

The Herat Uprising began on 15 March 1979 when residents of Herat rose up in protest against the ruling People’s Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) government and its secularizing reforms. The unrest escalated rapidly from street demonstrations into armed confrontation after security forces moved against religious figures and local leaders, sparking widespread popular resistance. For several days the city saw intense fighting, mutiny within army units, and the temporary seizure of parts of Herat by rebel forces.

Government troops later brought in reinforcements and air power to suppress the revolt, culminating in heavy casualties among civilians and combatants and a brutal crackdown. The Herat events shocked Kabul and convinced the PDPA leadership to call for increased Soviet assistance, a factor that fed into the geopolitical spiral leading to full Soviet military intervention later that year. The uprising is remembered as a pivotal moment of popular resistance and an early major rupture in the revolutionary period.