Amin

Architect of revolution, master of purges, deposed in three months.

Hafizullah Amin (1 August 1929 – 27 December 1979) was an Afghan revolutionary and communist head of state, serving for a little over three months from September 1979 until his assassination. He organized the Saur Revolution of 1978 and co-founded the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA), ruling as General Secretary of the People's Democratic Party. Born in Paghman in Kabul Province, Amin studied at Kabul University and became a teacher before twice going to the United States to study. During this time, he became attracted to Marxism and involved in radical student movements at the University of Wisconsin. Returning to Afghanistan, he used his teaching position to spread socialist ideologies and later joined the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA), co-founded by Nur Muhammad Taraki and Babrak Karmal.

Quick Facts

Took office: 14 September 1979
Left office: 27 December 1979
Predecessor: Nur Muhammad Taraki
Successor: Babrak Karmal
Born: 1 August 1929
Birthplace: Paghman, Afghanistan
Place of death: Tajbeg Palace, Kabul, Afghanistan
Cause of death: Assassination by Gunshot wound in the head by Soviet Spetsnaz during Operation Storm 333

Lore & Background

Amin was the main organizer of the April 1978 Saur Revolution, which overthrew Mohammad Daoud Khan and formed a pro-Soviet state. Being second in chief of the Democratic Republic, Amin soon became the regime's strongman and the main architect of state programs including mass persecution of those deemed counter-revolutionary. A growing personal struggle with General Secretary Taraki led Amin to wrest power away, depose him, and order his execution.

On 16 September 1979, Amin named himself Chairman of the Council of Ministers (head of government), Chairman of the Revolutionary Council (head of state), and General Secretary of the PDPA Central Committee (supreme leader). His short-lived leadership featured controversies from beginning to end: his government failed to solve the problem of population revolts, army desertions and defections continued, and he tried friendly overtures to the United States despite his reputation being tarnished by his role in the assassination of U.S. Ambassador Adolph Dubs.

Many Afghans held Amin responsible for ordering thousands of executions; thousands of people disappeared without a trace during his time in office. The Soviet Union under Leonid Brezhnev was dissatisfied with and mistrusted Amin after he conducted purges against the Parcham. Soviet operatives assassinated Amin at the Tajbeg Palace on 27 December 1979 as part of Operation Storm-333, kickstarting the decade-long Soviet–Afghan War.

Reader's Guide

From 1973 until the PDPA unification in 1977, Amin was second only to Taraki in the Khalqist PDPA. Their relationship was referred to as a disciple (Amin) following his mentor (Taraki), though this official portrayal may be misleading—Taraki needed Amin's 'tactical and strategic talents,' and Amin likely associated with Taraki to protect his own position. Amin had attracted many enemies, most notably Karmal. When Mohammad Daoud Khan ousted the monarchy in 1973 and established the Republic of Afghanistan, the Khalqist PDPA offered support if a National Front including them was established.

The Parchamite PDPA had already allied with Daoud, and Karmal called for dissolution of the Khalqist PDPA, worsening relations. Some communists in the armed forces, disillusioned with Daoud, turned to the Khalqist PDPA because of its apparent independence. From 1973 until the 1978 coup, Amin was responsible for organizing party work in the Afghan armed forces. According to the official version, Amin 'met patriotic liaison officers day or night, in the desert or the mountains, in the fields or the forests, enlightening them on the basis of the principles of the working class ideology.'

Amin's success in recruiting military officers lay in the fact that Daoud 'betrayed the left' soon after taking power. In 1973 it was rumored that Major Zia Mohammadzai, a Parchamite and head of the Republican Guard, planned to assassinate the entire Khalqist leadership. The alleged plot failed because the Khalqists found out. Because of this, Amin pressed the Khalqist PDPA to seize power in 1976 by ousting Daoud, but the majority voted against. In 1977, the Parchamites and Khalqists officially reconciled.

Did You Know?

Amin earned an MA in education from Columbia University in New York City in 1957 and became a member of the university's Socialist Progressive Club in 1958.
He was the only Khalqist elected to parliament in the 1969 Afghan parliamentary election.