Part 5/11:
In 1978, the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) orchestrated a coup that resulted in the assassination of Dawood Khan. The new regime, led by Nur Muhammad Taraki, transitioned Afghanistan into a Marxist state, promoting sweeping reforms that alienated conservative factions within the country. The ensuing destabilization led to a brutal crackdown on dissent and a rapid increase in social unrest.
As religiosity clashed with the PDPA's radical policies, the condition laid fertile ground for a rebellion. By late 1979, amidst escalating violence and the effective loss of control over the country, the Afghan government turned to the Soviet Union for assistance, inadvertently inviting foreign intervention into their domestic conflict.