Office of the Historian

41. Article in the President’s Daily Brief1

Washington, March 27, 1979

AFGHANISTAN-USSR-PAKISTAN-IRAN: Situation report

According to intercepted Afghan Army messages, the insurgency in northwestern Afghanistan has spread to Badghisat Province, and the provincial governor has fled. The government appears to be sending troops to head off an insurgent attack from Badghisat on Meymaneh, the capital of neighboring Faryab Province.

The Soviets may be airlifting additional military equipment to Afghanistan. According to [2 lines not declassified] in Kabul, two Soviet heavy transport aircraft landed at Bagram Airfield on Saturday carrying an unspecified amount of arms and ammunition as well as some SA–7 missiles. We had a number of reports last week indicating stepped-up Soviet military deliveries.

Relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan, meanwhile, are continuing to deteriorate. On Sunday the Pakistani Government released a statement accusing the Afghans of shelling a refugee camp in Pakistan; the statement implied that Pakistan might retaliate if there were any more such incidents. Privately, the Pakistanis have hinted to Kabul that landlocked Afghanistan’s ability to import key goods—such as wheat—through the port of Karachi could be cut off.2

Iran’s relations with Kabul are also continuing to worsen. An [1 line not declassified] indicates that at least some Iranian gendarmerie units along the border have been placed on alert. Iran closed the border last week.

  1. Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, President’s Daily CIA Brief File, Box 18, 3/26/79–3/31/79. Top Secret; For the President’s Eyes Only. Carter initialed the cover page in the upper right corner.↩
  2. In the left margin, Mondale wrote: “Zbig—Why aren’t we pressing this issue? USSR internal interference & fighting Islam. WM.” Sunday was March 25.↩