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Babrak Karmal (January 6, 1929 - December 3, 1996) was the third President of Afghanistan (1979 - 1986) during the period of the communist Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. He was an elegant actor, an expert propagandist, and the best known of the Marxist leadership. Having been restored to power with Soviet support, he was unable to consolidate his power and, in 1986, he was replaced by Dr. Mohammad Najibullah. He left Afghanistan for Moscow, but returned to Kabul in 1989. He died in Moscow.
Early years The son of a well-connected army general, although born into a wealthy Tajikized family of Kashmir origin in the village of Kamari (east of Kabul), Babrak Karmal lived in hardship following the death of his mother. He was an indifferent student in high school and in the law school of Kabul University, quickly gained a reputation as an orator and activist in the university’s student union in 1951. He became involved in Marxist political activities while a student at Kabul University, and was imprisoned for five years as a result. In prison, Karmal was befriended by a fellow inmate, Mier Akbar Khybar. A third inmate, Mier Mohammad Siddiq Farhang, initiated both to pro-Moscow leftist views. After graduation he entered the Ministry of Planning, keeping in close touch with those who had special knowledge on communism, among them Mier Mohammad Siddiq Farhang and Ali Mohammad Zahma', a professor at Kabul University. Political career On January 1 1965 the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan was founded in Kabul, with Karmal serving as one of its twenty-eight founding members in its founding congress. Karmal was appointed its Secretary. As a result, he was elected and served in the National Assembly from 1965 until 1973. In 1967, when the party split into the Khalq and the Parcham factions, Karmal became the leader of the more moderate Parcham faction. When Mohammed Daoud Khan overthrew the monarchy and instituted the Republic, Karmal’s faction shared power with him, although Karmal himself did not hold an official position. However, once President Daoud felt secure in his position, dismissed Parchamis from the presidential cabinet and tried to distance Afghanistan from the Soviet Union. The factions reunited in 1977, and in April 1978 seized control of Afghanistan. Karmal was initially deputy prime minister but following the rise of the rival Khalq faction he was soon 'exiled' as ambassador to Prague. The PDPA was attempting to modernize the country in line with socialist ideas, but there was major unrest. In December 1979 the Soviets invaded Afghanistan and Soviet commandos killed the then leader Hafizullah Amin. The Soviets brought Karmal back to be President of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. Babrak Karmal, exiled leader of the Parcham faction of the PDPA was installed by the Soviets as Afghanistan's new head of government. President of the Republic
Fall from power The regime ruled only the city of Kabul, the provincial capitals, and those strategic areas where the Soviets and the Afghan Military had stationed military contingents and militia units. Despite high casualties on both sides, pressure continued to mount on the Soviet Union, especially after the United States brought in Stinger anti-aircraft missiles which severely reduced the effectiveness of Soviet air cover. Moscow came to regard Karmal as a failure and blamed him for the problems. Years later, when Karmal’s inability to consolidate his government had become obvious, Mikhail Gorbachev, then General Secretary of the Soviet Communist Party, said: Not only that, but some Afghan troops who had fought for the Communist Government began to defect. In May 1986 he was replaced as party leader by Mohammad Najibullah, and six months later he was relieved of the presidency. Karmal moved to Moscow, where the Soviets could protect him from foes in Afghanistan. He remained there until his death. Death Karmal died in Moscow's Central Clinical Hospital from liver cancer on December 3, 1996. On December 5, about 200 members of the Afghan community in Moscow attended a memorial service at the Hospital. Most of those in attendance had served in Karmal's Afghan government. Karmal's body was then flown the following day by a Russian military airplane to Mazari Sharif, Afghanistan for burial. He was picked up from his grave by taliban when they concured Hayratan and throw him into the Aamo derya See also | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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