Operation Storm-333
In September 1979, Nur Muhammad Taraki was deposed by Hafizullah Amin. This event marked the beginning of a sharp decline in Afghan-Soviet relations. The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan had initially been led by Taraki, who maintained cordial ties with Moscow. However, intra-party strife within the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan shifted power to Amin. Following his rise, Soviet leadership began to view him as a threat. KGB officials described Amin as a smooth-talking fascist secretly pro-western. By December, the Soviet Union had already established an alliance with Babrak Karmal, a rival faction leader. The deterioration accelerated after Taraki died under suspicious circumstances. Many believed Amin ordered the assassination himself. These political fractures set the stage for direct military intervention.
Operation Storm-333 formed part of a larger plan called Operation Baikal-79. This broader strategy aimed to seize approximately twenty key strongholds around Kabul. The core assault team included twenty-five men from the Grom unit of Alpha Group. They were joined by thirty operators from a special KGB group known as Zenit. Eighty-seven troops came from the 345th Independent Guards Airborne Regiment. Five hundred and twenty soldiers belonged to the Muslim Battalion. This unit consisted exclusively of soldiers from southern republics of the USSR. They had been formed earlier in 1979 at Amin's specific request. Despite their role guarding his residence, they received no armor or helmets. One soldier recalled that a magazine tucked inside his clothes saved him from an SMG bullet. Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy assisted in leading these forces toward Tajbeg Palace.
The raid on Tajbeg Palace began around seven p.m. on the 27th of December 1979. General Secretary Amin resided there with his family. His KGB security advisers had suggested this location for safety. During the attack, Amin still believed the Soviet Union supported him. He told his adjutant that Soviets would help them. When the truth emerged, he initially called it a lie. Only after failing to contact the Chief of the General Staff did he admit reality. The palace was surrounded by landmines and guarded by large contingents of the Afghan Army. Soviet forces faced heavy resistance during the forty-minute operation. About eighty percent of the assault team were wounded shortly after leaving their vehicles. Yet they continued forward despite the intense fire. Five men placed in the front BMP were quickly wounded but survived thanks to bulletproof vests and helmets.
Amin was captured alive by Grom troops while semi-conscious. He suffered convulsions due to interrupted medical treatment following a poisoning incident on the 16th of December. The exact details of his death remain unconfirmed by any eye witness. Official announcements stated he had been sentenced to death at a revolutionary trial. One account claims Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy killed him directly. Another story suggests Amin died from shrapnel wounds sustained during clashes. In 2009, investigators determined Amin was mortally wounded by a grenade fragment thrown by Senior Lieutenant Alexander Nikolaevich Plyusnin. His two sons died from shrapnel injuries. His wife and daughter were wounded but survived. Thirty-four other Afghans including thirty personal guards also perished in the fighting. Part of the palace burned down during the chaos.
Five officers of the KGB special forces died during the assault. Seven troops from the Muslim Battalion were killed. Two paratroopers lost their lives as well. Colonel Boyarinov commanded the KGB contingent and fell in battle. All surviving participants in the KGB troops were wounded. Soviet army doctor Colonel Viktor Kuznechenkov was killed by friendly fire inside the palace. He received the Order of the Red Banner posthumously for his service. Afghan losses included three hundred soldiers killed and another one hundred fifty captured. Three hundred forty-seven other Afghans died in total. One hundred fifty of the one hundred eighty Palace guards surrendered when they realized attackers were Soviet. A total of one thousand seven hundred Afghan soldiers surrendered to Soviet forces and became prisoners. The entire operation lasted approximately forty minutes despite heavy resistance.
Following the raid, Babrak Karmal replaced Hafizullah Amin as leader. Karmal led the Parcham faction which opposed the Khalqist ideology of Amin. The Soviet Union installed him as Amin's successor immediately after the assassination. Documents released after the dissolution of the Soviet Union revealed that Soviet leadership believed Amin had secret contacts within the American embassy. They claimed he could reach an agreement with the United States. Allegations of Amin colluding with Americans have been widely discredited. Soviet archives show the story of Amin as a CIA agent was planted by the KGB. Several government buildings including the Ministry of Interior Affairs were seized during the operation. The General Staff at Darul Aman Palace also fell under Soviet control. This marked the start of the Soviet-Afghan War and consolidated Soviet influence over Afghanistan.
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Common questions
Who was Hafizullah Amin and what happened to him in 1979?
Hafizullah Amin was the leader of Afghanistan who was deposed by Nur Muhammad Taraki in September 1979. He died during Operation Storm-333 on the 27th of December 1979 when Soviet forces raided Tajbeg Palace.
When did Operation Storm-333 take place and how long did it last?
Operation Storm-333 began around seven p.m. on the 27th of December 1979 and lasted approximately forty minutes. The raid targeted Tajbeg Palace where Hafizullah Amin resided with his family.
What units participated in the assault team for Operation Storm-333?
The core assault team included twenty-five men from the Grom unit of Alpha Group, thirty operators from the Zenit KGB group, eighty-seven troops from the 345th Independent Guards Airborne Regiment, and five hundred and twenty soldiers from the Muslim Battalion. These forces were joined by Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy to lead them toward Tajbeg Palace.
How many people died during the attack on Tajbeg Palace?
Thirty-four other Afghans including thirty personal guards perished in the fighting along with three hundred soldiers killed and another one hundred fifty captured. Five officers of the KGB special forces died during the assault while seven troops from the Muslim Battalion were also killed.
Why did the Soviet Union decide to assassinate Hafizullah Amin?
Soviet leadership viewed Hafizullah Amin as a threat after he shifted power within the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan following Taraki's deposition. Documents released after the dissolution of the Soviet Union revealed that Soviet leadership believed Amin had secret contacts within the American embassy despite allegations being widely discredited.
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