The Ridge That Watched Back

The first shots came from the heights. Echoes twisted the sound, making every direction

feel wrong. The patrol fired back, but the ridge swallowed the muzzle flashes.

A soldier screamed into the radio for air support — the message broke apart mid-sentence.

Afghan fighters moved along hidden ledges, appearing only for seconds before vanishing

again. The rear soldier fell. Then the radio operator. Weapons,

maps, and night-vision gear were seized. Before sunrise, the firing stopped.

When a recovery team arrived days later, they found empty shell casings

and a single broken compass — its needle still spinning. Soviet records listed