Operation Trap () was a code name of a large-scale Soviet offensive operation during the Soviet-Afghan War which targeted the mujahideen garrison of the Kokari-Sharshari fortified supply base. The active stage of the operation was launched on August 18, 1986 to clear out the rebel positions and the surrounding areas with the intent of breaking a mujahideen logistics chain in the northwest triangle of Herat Province in the Gulran District.
During the presence of the Restricted contingent of Soviet troops in the Republic of Afghanistan in the western province of Herat, a large-scale air-ground combined arms operation was conducted under the codename "Zapadnya" (Trap). The goal of the planned joint operation of Soviet troops and government forces of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan was the liquidation of the logistic support bodies and the armed opposition groups of the "Western United Group" of the large field commander Ismail Khan.
The operation was carried out in three stages on the broad front of the plain and mountain areas in the vicinity of the old Herat and in the mountainous region of Sharshari bordering Iran. On the plains of the first and third stages of the operation, the areas adjacent to Herat from the members of the local formations were cleansed, on the mountainous: the mastering of the Kokari-Sharshari base area, the main support and transshipment point on the border with Iran.
One of the main features of the operation, along with other large-scale operations of the 40th Army in Panjshir, Kunar, operations "Smerch", "Maneuver", and "Uragan", was its clearly-pronounced aerial-land character with wide application assault-assault actions. As in most planned joint operations, a large number of airborne assault forces were used to defeat the enemy. The second important feature of Operation Trap was simultaneous hostilities in two remote 140–160 km areas of mountainous and flat terrain.
This operation was recognized as one of the most successful large-scale combined arms operations of OKVA in the history of the Afghan War (1979-1989) with minimal losses.
Situation in the region
Armed formations operating in the province of Herat, supplying food and manpower were obtained from numerous villages located in the vicinity of Herat, in the vast green zone and the adjacent Gerirud valley. On the bordering territory with Iran, the rebels set up places for collection and rest, there were also delivered weapons from nearby bases in Iran. Under the cover of the green zone, the vast thickets of shrubs, gardens and vineyards - the rebels were selected to the location of military units and fired them, made armed attacks on the convoy, after the attacks instantly dissolved in the surrounding villages, it was no less difficult to find them there than in the mountains. A number of detachments operated in Herat itself, dividing it into spheres of influence, and fighting not only with government troops, but also with each other. In the city were found strong points, stocks of weapons and ammunition. During the fighting in the city, the Su-25 attack aircraft had to strike, in the rebel-controlled quarters and the intelligence houses indicated.
Military and political objectives of the operation
Strengthening the state power of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, the stabilization of HPE in the region bordering Iran the defeat of the "Western United Grouping" of Ismail Khan blocking the supply of weapons and ammunition to various international Islamic organizations - the Shiite Eight, the Islamic Society of Afghanistan the liquidation of the rear services in the region bordering Iran, the mastery of the Kokari-Sharshari base area, the seizure of weapons and ammunition depots.