▁invasion . ▁In ▁total ▁ 1 4 , 4 5 3 ▁Soviet ▁soldiers ▁died ▁during ▁the ▁Afghan ▁war . ▁ ▁The ▁Soviet ▁war ▁had ▁a ▁dam aging ▁impact ▁on ▁Afghan istan . ▁The ▁death s ▁of ▁up ▁to ▁ 2 ▁million ▁Af gh ans ▁in ▁the ▁war ▁has ▁been ▁described ▁as ▁" gen o cide " ▁by ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁sources . ▁Five ▁to ▁ten ▁million ▁Af gh ans ▁fled ▁to ▁Pakistan ▁and ▁Iran , ▁amount ing ▁to ▁ 1 / 3 ▁of ▁the ▁pre war ▁population ▁of ▁the ▁country , ▁and ▁another ▁ 2 ▁million ▁were ▁disp la ced ▁within ▁the ▁country . ▁Pakistan ' s ▁North - West ▁Front ier ▁Province ▁function ed ▁as ▁an ▁organis ational ▁and ▁networking ▁base ▁for ▁the ▁anti - S ov iet ▁Afghan ▁resistance , ▁with ▁the ▁province ' s ▁influ ential ▁De ob and i ▁ul ama ▁playing ▁a ▁major ▁supporting ▁role ▁in ▁prom oting ▁the ▁' ji had '. ▁ ▁Fall ▁of ▁commun ism ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Soviet ▁withdraw al , ▁the ▁Republic ▁of ▁Afghan istan ▁under ▁Naj ib ul lah ▁continued ▁to ▁face ▁resistance ▁from ▁the ▁various ▁mu j ah ide en ▁forces . ▁Naj ib ul lah ▁received ▁fund ing ▁and ▁arms ▁from ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁until ▁ 1 9 9 1 ▁when ▁the ▁Soviet ▁Union ▁col lapsed . ▁For ▁several ▁years ▁the ▁Afghan ▁Army ▁had ▁actually ▁increased ▁their ▁effect iveness ▁past ▁levels ▁ever ▁achieved ▁during ▁the ▁Soviet ▁military ▁presence . ▁But ▁the ▁government ▁was ▁de alt ▁a ▁major ▁blow ▁when ▁Abd