Kyrgyzstan commemorates soldiers who died in Afghanistan

Bishkek, Feb.14, 2020./Kabar/. Commemorations, lessons of courage and honoring of veterans of the war in Afghanistan are held in all military units of Kyrgyzstan in honor of the 31st anniversary of the Soviet withdrawal from Afghanistan.

According to the press service of the Kyrgyz Internal Ministry, a solemn event dedicated to this date was held today.

In memory of the dead, the combatants laid wreaths at the monument to the soldier-internationalist.

Major General Ashirbek Bakayev, who participated in the Afghan war, congratulated his comrades-in-arms on this remarkable date.

He thanked all Afghan War veterans for their hard work and wished them good health, success in all their undertakings and long life.

The solemn meeting began with a moment of silence. The veterans paid tribute to the memory by laying a wreath at the monument of the Afghan war veteran, Lieutenant Colonel Ibragim Kulbayev, who died in June 2010 while fulfilling his military duty, and other soldiers who gave their lives to fulfill military and international duty.

A documentary film about that war was shown to guests and those who invited.

The event concluded with a festive concert.

21 servicemen of the Interior Ministry of the Kyrgyz Republic took part in the Afghan War.

7,141 Kyrgyz citizens went through the crucible of the war in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. More than 300 people were killed and died from wounds, 4 were missing, 1 thousand 500 people were wounded and contusion.

66 servicemen were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for their heroism and courage, among them Kyrgyzstanis - Yuri Islamov and Sergey Gushchin (including twenty-three posthumously).

The final and complete withdrawal of Soviet combatant forces from Afghanistan began on May 15, 1988 and ended on Feb.15 1989 under the leadership of Colonel-General Boris Gromov.

The Geneva Accords, signed by representatives of the USSR, the US, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and the Republic of Afghanistan (thus renamed in 1987) on Apr.14, 1988, provided a framework for the departure of Soviet forces, and established a multilateral understanding between the signatories regarding the future of international involvement in Afghanistan. The military withdrawal commenced soon after, with all Soviet forces leaving Afghanistan by Feb.15,1989.