Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy
Encyclopedia
Major General
Sayed Muhammad Gulabzoi(born 1951) is an Afghan
politician.
An ethnic Pashtun
from the Zadran tribe
, Gulabzoy was born in Paktia Province
. An Air Force
mechanic by training, he studied at the Air Force college. As an air force officer, he supported Daoud Khan's 1973 coup d'état
which overthrew King Zahir Shah, for which he was rewarded with the position of Aide to the Air Force Commander. In 1976, he went to the Soviet Union
to study radar technology.
He was recruited into the Khalq
faction of the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
by Hafizullah Amin
. He held only a minor role in the Saur Revolution
of 1978, which brought the PDPA to power. Following the coup, he was appointed aide to President Nur Muhammad Taraki
, and later Minister of Communications. As internal struggles grew within the communist regime, he distanced himself from Amin, and joined a group of officers(the "gang of four") plotting against Amin, which also included Aslam Watanjar and Assadullah Sarwari
. When their coup failed, the conspirators took refuge in the Soviet embassy on September 14, 1979. In December 1979, Gulabzoy and his allies assisted the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan by serving as guides to the invading Soviet troops.
During the invasion, Soviet forces killed Amin and installed Parcham
leader Babrak Karmal
in power. Karmal was forced to compose with the rival Khalq faction, as many key posts in the military were still occupied by Khalqis. As a conciliatory measure, Gulabzoy, a prominent Khalqi, was appointed Minister of Interior. As such he was placed in command of the Sarandoy
("Defenders of the Revolution"), a heavily-armed paramilitary gendarmerie
force.
In November 1988, amid renewed tensions between Khalq and Parcham, he was removed from his post and sent to Moscow
as ambassador by Parchami president Mohammad Najibullah
. He was rumoured to have proposed himself to the Soviets as a potential replacement for Najibullah. In March 1990, following an unsuccessful coup attempt by General Shahnawaz Tanai
, Gulabzoy was expelled from the party, along with other Khalqis.
In 2005 he was elected to represent Khost Province
in Afghanistan's Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of its National Legislature.
He holds Master's degree
s in Law and Military Science, and sat on the Internal Security Committee.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
Sayed Muhammad Gulabzoi(born 1951) is an Afghan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
politician.
An ethnic Pashtun
Pashtun people
Pashtuns or Pathans , also known as ethnic Afghans , are an Eastern Iranic ethnic group with populations primarily between the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan and the Indus River in Pakistan...
from the Zadran tribe
Zadran tribe
The Zadran or Dzadranr is a tribe within the Pashtun ethnic group, originating in the "Dzadran arc" of Afghanistan, which includes the Wazi Zadran, Shwak and Gerda Serai districts of Paktia, Nika, Zaruk, Gayan and Urgun districts of Paktika, and parts of Qalandar, Nadar Shah Kot and Spira districts...
, Gulabzoy was born in Paktia Province
Paktia Province
Paktia , is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan, in the east of the country. Its capital is Gardez. The population is predominantly Pashtun.- History:...
. An Air Force
Afghan Air Force
The Afghan Air Force , formerly the Afghan National Army Air Corps and Afghan National Army Air Force , is one of seven "corps" of the military of Afghanistan, responsible for air defense and air warfare. It was officially established in 1924 and for most of its history has functioned as a small...
mechanic by training, he studied at the Air Force college. As an air force officer, he supported Daoud Khan's 1973 coup d'état
Coup d'état
A coup d'état state, literally: strike/blow of state)—also known as a coup, putsch, and overthrow—is the sudden, extrajudicial deposition of a government, usually by a small group of the existing state establishment—typically the military—to replace the deposed government with another body; either...
which overthrew King Zahir Shah, for which he was rewarded with the position of Aide to the Air Force Commander. In 1976, he went to the Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
to study radar technology.
He was recruited into the Khalq
Khalq
Khalq was a faction of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan. Its historical leaders were Presidents Nur Muhammad Taraki and Hafizullah Amin. It was also the name of the leftist newspaper produced by the same movement. It was supported by the USSR and was formed in 1965 when the PDPA was born...
faction of the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan
The People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan was a communist party established on the 1 January 1965. While a minority, the party helped former president of Afghanistan, Mohammed Daoud Khan, to overthrow his cousin, Mohammed Zahir Shah, and established Daoud's Republic of Afghanistan...
by Hafizullah Amin
Hafizullah Amin
Hafizullah Amin was the second President of Afghanistan during the period of the communist Democratic Republic of Afghanistan....
. He held only a minor role in the Saur Revolution
Saur Revolution
The Saur Revolution is the name given to the Communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan takeover of political power from the government of Afghanistan on 28 April 1978. The word 'Saur', i.e...
of 1978, which brought the PDPA to power. Following the coup, he was appointed aide to President Nur Muhammad Taraki
Nur Muhammad Taraki
Nur Muhammad Taraki was an Afghan politician and statesman during the Cold War. Taraki was born near Kabul and educated at Kabul University, after which he started his political career as a journalist...
, and later Minister of Communications. As internal struggles grew within the communist regime, he distanced himself from Amin, and joined a group of officers(the "gang of four") plotting against Amin, which also included Aslam Watanjar and Assadullah Sarwari
Assadullah Sarwari
Assadullah Sarwari is an Afghan politician, who belongd to the Khalq faction of the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan....
. When their coup failed, the conspirators took refuge in the Soviet embassy on September 14, 1979. In December 1979, Gulabzoy and his allies assisted the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan by serving as guides to the invading Soviet troops.
During the invasion, Soviet forces killed Amin and installed Parcham
Parcham
Parcham was the name of one of the factions of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan. The Parcham faction seized power in the country after toppling Hafizullah Amin....
leader Babrak Karmal
Babrak Karmal
Babrak Karmal was the third President of Afghanistan during the period of the communist Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. He is the best known of the Marxist leadership....
in power. Karmal was forced to compose with the rival Khalq faction, as many key posts in the military were still occupied by Khalqis. As a conciliatory measure, Gulabzoy, a prominent Khalqi, was appointed Minister of Interior. As such he was placed in command of the Sarandoy
Sarandoy
The Sarandoy were a gendarme police force of the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan in the 1980s, during the Soviet war in Afghanistan. They were administered by the Ministry of the Interior, and led by Sayed Muhammad Gulabzoi...
("Defenders of the Revolution"), a heavily-armed paramilitary gendarmerie
Gendarmerie
A gendarmerie or gendarmery is a military force charged with police duties among civilian populations. Members of such a force are typically called "gendarmes". The Shorter Oxford English Dictionary describes a gendarme as "a soldier who is employed on police duties" and a "gendarmery, -erie" as...
force.
In November 1988, amid renewed tensions between Khalq and Parcham, he was removed from his post and sent to Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
as ambassador by Parchami president Mohammad Najibullah
Mohammad Najibullah
Mohammad Najibullah Ahmadzai , originally merely Najibullah, was the fourth and last President of the Soviet-backed Democratic Republic of Afghanistan. He is also considered the second President of the Republic of Afghanistan.-Early years:Najibullah was born in August 1947 to the Ahmadzai...
. He was rumoured to have proposed himself to the Soviets as a potential replacement for Najibullah. In March 1990, following an unsuccessful coup attempt by General Shahnawaz Tanai
Shahnawaz Tanai
Lieutenant General Shahnawaz Tanai is a former communist general. He was chief of Afghanistan's army under the russians-backed Republic of Afghanistan...
, Gulabzoy was expelled from the party, along with other Khalqis.
In 2005 he was elected to represent Khost Province
Khost Province
Khost is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the east of the country. Khost province used to be part of Paktia province in the past...
in Afghanistan's Wolesi Jirga, the lower house of its National Legislature.
He holds Master's degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
s in Law and Military Science, and sat on the Internal Security Committee.