Biggest Story - Soviet Army finally quits Afghanistan
1989
The Soviet Union's nine year military occupation of Afghanistan ended today as the final armoured column of Red Army forces set off home from the capital, Kabul. The USSR agreed two years ago as part of the Geneva accords that the last of its forces would be gone by February 15 this year. These last 120,000 troops are now making their way up the Salang Highway, watchful for ambush by US-backed 'mujahideen guerrillas.'
The Russians have left large amounts of arms behind for the government forces. Afghan President Najibullah, who continues to rule under emergency powers, said today that a life-or-death struggle with the guerrillas would now begin.