Pader Watan

Not to be confused with Jabha-yi Milli-yi Pader-Watan.

The Pader Watan were local counter-guerrilla organizations employed by the Soviet Union and their ally the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA). The first Pader Watan unit appeared in 1983, it is unclear if they were active before this.

Pader-Watan
پدر وطن
Members of the Pader-Watan, during a funeral procession, 1986
Leaders	Ismatullah Muslim
Dates of operation	1983–1992 (Approximately)
Motives	Supporting the Democratic Republic government Disillusioned with foreign influence (particularly Pakistanis) Pashtun tribal solidarity
Active regions	All of Afghanistan (Especially Balkh, Kandahar and Baghlan Provinces)
Ideology	Islamism (Some factions) Communism Sovietism
Size	100,000+
Allies	Soviet Union Soviet Armed Forces DR Afghanistan Afghan Armed Forces KhAD
Opponents	Afghan Mujahideen Afghan Interim Government (from 1988) Pakistan China
Battles and wars	Soviet–Afghan War Afghan Civil War (1989-1992)

Organization

The Pader Watan consisted of former mujahideen who defected to the DRA to form paramilitary units. The Pader Watan units assisted the Soviets by guarding key points along highways, and also providing protection to Soviet-DRA convoys, and watching out for night attacks, and infiltration by Mujahideen. They were referred to derisively as "Traitors in Turbans".^[1]

See also

• Abdul Jabar Qahraman
• Ismatullah Muslim