Atlas of Battles

campaign, notable, Cold War

Operation Magistral

Operation Magistral was a campaign fought in 1987 at Paktia Province, in what is now Afghanistan; it ran into the following year. It was part of the Soviet-Afghan War, which ran from 1979 to 1989. The recorded result: DRA–Soviet victory. Recorded strength: 20,000; 8,000 against 9,000–20,000; 10 MRLs.

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Fought1987ran into the following year
WherePaktia Province, Afghanistan33.600N, 69.500E
OutcomeDRA–Soviet victory
BelligerentsSoviet Union; AfghanistanagainstHaqqani network; Pakistan
Casualties and losses24 killed; 56 wounded; 300 killed; 700 woundedand300+ killed
Part ofSoviet-Afghan War1979 to 1989

Where it sits in the Soviet-Afghan War

Operation Baikal-79, 1979Tajbeg Palace assault, 1979Siege of Khost, 1980Panjshir offensives, 1980Marmoul offensives, 1983Siege of Urgun, 1983raids inside Soviet Union during Soviet–Afghan war, 1984Operation Curtain, 1984Battle of Maravar Pass, 1985Battle near the village of Afridge, 1985Operation Trap, 1986Battle of Jaji, 1987Battle of Arghandab, 1987Operation Magistral, 1987Battle for Hill 3234, 1988Operation Arrow, 198819791988Operation Magistral, 1987
16 placed engagements of the Soviet-Afghan War in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

Date1987 (year precision)
to 1988
PlacePaktia Province, Afghanistan
33.600N, 69.500E
KindCampaign, Cold War
Strength20,000; 8,0009,000–20,000; 10 MRLs
Casualties and losses24 killed; 56 wounded; 300 killed; 700 wounded300+ killed
Commanders
  • Boris Gromov
  • Shahnawaz Tanai
  • Jalaluddin Haqqani
Operation MagistralOperation MagistralBattle for Hill 3234Siege of KhostSiege of Urgun1842 retreat from KabulBattle of CharasiabBattle for Hill 3234Siege of KhostSiege of Urgun1842 retreat from KabulBattle of CharasiabBannuJalalabadGhazniParachinarBaraki BarakMehtar LamZareh Sharan100 km33.600N, 69.500E
The recorded site, with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in 1987

Operation Magistral is one of 4,429 engagements of the 20th century in the atlas and one of 83 in present-day Afghanistan.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q2702724, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Operation Magistral, revision 1375458811, read 2026-11-15, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.