Hero of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan

The title Hero of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (Pashto: افغانستان دیموکراتیک جمهوریت اتل) was the highest distinction in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, awarded to both citizens of the Afghanistan and other states who have performed heroic deeds in the name of defending the gains of the Saur Revolution, freedom, territorial integrity and independence of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan or who have made an outstanding contribution to strengthening the defense of the Afghan state. It was awarded alongside the Order of the Saur Revolution [ru] and the Order of the Sun of Liberty [ru].^[1][2][3]

Hero of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
The 1987–1992 version of the award
Type	Highest degree of distinction
Awarded for	Heroic feats in service to the Afghan state and society
Presented by	Democratic Republic of Afghanistan
Eligibility	Afghan and foreign citizens
Status	No longer awarded
Established	August 9, 1986
Last awarded	1988
Total	16

Notable recipients

Single award

• Colonel Abdul Ahad Momand – Cosmonaut and Aviator (Awarded in 1988)^[4]
• Sher Zamin – Afghan Air Force pilot, the first ever recipient of the award
• Lieutenant Colonel Faiz Muhammad – Former commander of the 444th Commando Battalion. Served as Minister of Tribal Affairs in 1980, was assassinated by Jalaluddin Haqqani during a meeting with tribal elders that same year (posthumously awarded in 1986)^[5][2]
• General Mohammad Najibullah – Director of KhAD and President of Afghanistan from 1987 to 1992
• Major General Ahmaduddin (posthumously)^[6]
• Lieutenant General Faiz Muhammad^[6]
• Lieutenant Said Habib^[6] – Sarandoy
• Lieutenant Muhammad Juma^[6] – Sarandoy
• 37th “Hero” Commando Brigade

Two times awarded

• General Rashid Dostum – Afghan Army
• Brigadier General Mohammed Barat^[6] – Afghan Air Force

Foreign recipients (all single awards)

• Valeri Polyakov – Soviet Cosmonaut (Awarded in 1988)^[7]
• Vladimir Lyakhov – Soviet Cosmonaut (Awarded in 1988)^[8]

See also

• Order of the Red Banner
• Hero of the Soviet Union
• Amir Amanullah Khan Medal

Sources

1. "Награды Афганистана". Государственный выставочный зал истории войны в Афганистане. 31 October 2016. Archived from the original on 2019-10-20. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
2. "Боевые награды Афганистана". Белорусский государственный музей истории Великой Отечественной войны. 18 February 2016. Archived from the original on 2019-08-02. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
3. "د افغانستان دموکراتیک جمهوریت د انقلابی شورا د رئیسه هیأت ١٣٦٥/٥/١٨ نیټی د (١١٤ )ګڼی فرمان د افغانستان دموکراتیک جمهوریت د اتل لقب او د هغه د مقرری د تصویبولو په هکله" (PDF). Министерство юстиции Афганистана [en]. 9 August 1986. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2020-08-23. Retrieved 23 January 2020.
4. Осовик К. "Моманд Абдул Ахад". Герои страны. Archived from the original on 2017-09-17. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
5. Устинов Г. (1986). "Первые Герои республики". Журнал «Новое время». No. 38. Москва. pp. 25–26/72.
6. "Боевые награды Афганистана". www.warmuseum.by. Retrieved 2023-08-14.
7. Симонов А. "Поляков Валерий Владимирович". Герои страны. Archived from the original on 2005-12-26. Retrieved 14 October 2019.
8. Симонов А. "Ляхов Владимир Афанасьевич". Герои страны. Archived from the original on 2013-01-13. Retrieved 14 October 2019.