The Road That Answered Back

The ambush began without warning. Gunfire erupted from the cliffs, echoing wildly through

the pass. The patrol fired back blindly, unable to locate the attackers.

The radio operator screamed into the microphone for help, but the signal never left the mountains.

Within minutes, the rear soldier fell. Then the point man. Afghan fighters

moved through hidden paths, striking fast and disappearing into the darkness.

Weapons, maps, and supplies were taken. By morning,

the pass was silent again. When a relief unit arrived, they found no bodies

— only a shattered radio still tuned to the same channel. Soviet records later