Part 7/11:
Despite achieving control over urban centers, Soviet forces quickly found themselves entangled in a protracted guerrilla war against the Mujahedin. The war's onset drew widespread condemnation from the international community, prompting the United States and its allies to support Afghan resistance efforts through military aid and covert operations.
Escalation and International Dynamics
As the conflict escalated in the early 1980s, the United States increased its support to the Mujahedin through a covert CIA initiative known as Operation Cyclone—a program that aimed to supply weapons, training, and logistics to resistance fighters. Osama bin Laden, a prominent figure in this insurgency, would later rise to infamy through his involvement in various jihadist causes.