ABSTRACT
Muslim soldiers continued to be regularly deployed in Afghanistan, albeit in a manner much more consistent with traditional Soviet ethnic staffing practices. Functionally, there are three main types of Soviet units participating in the Soviet war effort in Afghanistan: counterinsurgency formations, occupation forces, and support units. The occupation forces, which include most of the regular motorized infantry units and make up roughly 50 to 60 percent of the total regular Soviet forces, perform primarily occupation- and security-related tasks. Muslims are thus used for the most part in support roles, often being assigned to menial or low-skill duties. One notable exception to this general rule is the use of limited numbers of better educated and more trusted Central Asians, especially Tadzhiks, as interpreters. There are a number of factors that negatively affect the attitudes and performance of Soviet Muslim soldiers in the Afghan war.
