mujaheddin

/ ˈmuːdʒəhəˈdiːn /

plural noun

1. (sometimes capital) (in Afghanistan and Iran) fundamentalist Muslim guerrillas; in Afghanistan in 1992 the mujaheddin overthrew the government but were unable to agree on a constitution due to factional conflict and in 1996 Taliban forces seized power

Word History and Origins

Origin of mujaheddin¹

C20: from Arabic mujāhidīn fighters, ultimately from _jihad

Example Sentences

Afghanistan has been at war for more than four decades, first against the invading Soviet army, then warring mujaheddin groups in a bitter civil war, followed by the repressive Taliban rule and finally the latest war that began after the 2001 U.S.-led coalition invasion that toppled the Taliban government.

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The militants said they had reduced their attacks compared to last year, but said continued violations would “create an atmosphere of mistrust that will not only damage the agreements, but also force mujaheddin to a similar response and will increase the level of fighting.”

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The mujaheddin government - which included many of the warlords in Kabul today - eventually turned their guns on each other in the early 1990s.

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The mujaheddin government — which included many of the warlords in Kabul today — eventually turned their guns on each other in the early 1990s.

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Afghan mujaheddin, or holy warriors, received weapons and training from the U.S. throughout the 1980s to fight the Red Army.

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