Battle of Jaji

Battle of Jaji
	Part of the Soviet–Afghan War
Date	May 12 – June 4, 1987
Location	Paktia, Republic of Afghanistan
Result	MAK victory Soviet/Afghan government failure to capture the MAK base;
Belligerents
Soviet Union; Republic of Afghanistan	Maktab al-Khidamat; Supported by: ; Afghan mujahideen; Pakistan
Commanders and leaders
Boris Gromov; M. Najibullah	Osama bin Laden (WIA); Abdullah Azzam; Abu Ubayda (WIA); Abu Hafs
Units involved
	Afghan Army 12th Division 36th Regiment; ;
Strength
~200 Paratroopers; Unknown number	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown; Unknown	80+ killed;

The Battle of Jaji was fought during the Soviet–Afghan War between Soviet Army units, and their allies of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan against Maktab al-Khidamat in Paktia Province. This battle occurred in May 1987, during the first stage of withdrawal of Soviet forces from Afghanistan.^[4] The objective was to relieve a besieged garrison at Ali Sher, and cut off supply lines to the Mujahideen from Pakistan.^[5] The battle is primarily known for the participation of the Arab foreign fighter and future founder of Al Qaeda, Osama bin Laden, who acquired his reputation as a divine jihadist warrior as a result of the Mujahideen victory during this battle. Bin Laden led a group of some 50 Arab foreign fighters during this battle, of which at least 13 were killed in action.

^ Bergen, Peter (2021). The Rise and Fall of Osama bin Laden: The Biography. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-9821-7052-3.
^ ^a ^b Coll, Steve (2004). Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001. Penguin Books. p. 163. ISBN 1-59420-007-6.
^ Cite error: The named reference berg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Grau, Lester. "Breaking contact without leaving chaos: the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan" (PDF). Foreign Military Studies Office Publications. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-11-27. Retrieved 2007-08-17.
^ Isby, David (1989). War in a Distant Country, Afghanistan: Invasion and Resistance. Arms and Armour Press. pp. 42. ISBN 0-85368-769-2.

[BergenTheBiography37-1] Bergen, Peter (2021). The Rise and Fall of Osama bin Laden: The Biography. New York: Simon & Schuster. p. 37. ISBN 978-1-9821-7052-3.

[coll-2] Coll, Steve (2004). Ghost Wars: The Secret History of the CIA, Afghanistan, and bin Laden, from the Soviet Invasion to September 10, 2001. Penguin Books. p. 163. ISBN 1-59420-007-6.

[berg-3] Cite error: The named reference berg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[withdrawal-4] Grau, Lester. "Breaking contact without leaving chaos: the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan" (PDF). Foreign Military Studies Office Publications. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-11-27. Retrieved 2007-08-17.

[Isby-5] Isby, David (1989). War in a Distant Country, Afghanistan: Invasion and Resistance. Arms and Armour Press. pp. 42. ISBN 0-85368-769-2.

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