Khalq

The Khalq (Dari/Pashto: خلق, lit. 'masses' or 'people') was a far-left faction of the People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) and ruled the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan from 1978-1979. Its historical de facto leaders were Nur Muhammad Taraki and (1967–1979), Hafizullah Amin (1979). It was also the name of the leftist newspaper produced by the same movement. The Khalq wing was formed in 1967 after the split of the party due to bitter resentment with the rival Parcham faction which had a differing revolutionary strategy. It was made up primarily of Pashtuns from rural backgrounds. Its leaders preferred a mass organization approach and advocated class struggle to overthrow the system to bring about political, economic and social changes. They would rule the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan that was formed as a result of the Saur Revolution in 1978. The Khalqists introduced radical reforms and carried out brutal crackdowns on dissent turning Afghanistan into a police state run by the AGSA (and later KAM). The Khalqist crackdowns encouraged the rebellion of the religious and ethnic minority segments present in the Afghan society, which led more people joining exiled Islamist parties in Pakistan, however these rebellions did not pose an existential threat to their rule due to Khalq's large support base within the Armed Forces and the rebellion not being nationwide with provinces such as Helmand having no rebel activity. Khalqist rule would be ended following Soviet military intervention in December 1979 overthrowing Hafizullah Amin and starting the Soviet-Afghan War.