Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan: United Nations Security Council, 1979 UNSC

Welcome to the UNSC: Afghanistan 1979!

On December 24th, 1979, the Soviet Union launched a swift military intervention into the nation, seizing Kabul. They forcibly removed Hafizullah Amin and installed their own leader Babrak Karmal. In trying to take military control over an unstable socialist government, the Soviet Union ignited widespread resistance across the country.

As rebellious groups—backed by powers like the United States—mobilize across the country, Afghanistan now risks becoming the backdrop of a proxy war. The international community is quagmired in concerns over legitimacy of Soviet actions and when and how to intervene, if not whether to intervene at all.

Committee meets in the immediate aftermath of the invasion. As a member of the United Nations Security Council, your committee alone holds the responsibility of mitigating a potential global disaster. Delegates must prepare to deal with the murky legality of Soviet advances and the growing insurgency, all while humanitarian needs tower up and cold war tensions rise to their boiling points.

Historically, the UN response was fraught with internal division. The policies passed were inefficient and allowed the conflict to escalate into years of bloodshed. This committee challenges you to do better. You must scramble to rewrite history, navigating local politics and superpower politics alike to save tens of thousands of lives.