Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy

Who is Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy?

Major General Sayed Muhammad Gulabzoi 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 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.