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Afghanistan April 1980 - November 1987

Democratic Republic of Afghanistan, Da Afghanistan Jamburiat Demokratik

image by Jaume Ollé

Description
Coat-of-Arms

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Description

Three equal horizontal stripes of black over red over green. Multicolor emblem in upper hoist of pulpit, book, wreath, sunburst, topped by cogwheel and red star.

Nick Artimovich, 19 March 1996

According to Baert 2001, on 27 December 1979 the Soviet Army invaded Afghanistan. The new leader, Babrak Karmal, promised on January 1980 to re-establish the Islamic green on the national flag. The new flag and emblem, and their official interpretations, were released on 21 April 1980.

The flag had three equal horizontal black-red-green stripes. Black recalled the ancient Afghan flags, red symbolized the heroes' blood and green symbolized the Islamic faith, the prosperity of the country and the victory over imperialism.

The emblem was placed on the canton and centred over the two upper stripes. The field of the emblem was circular and horizontally divided. The white upper part showed a rising sun, referring to the ancient name of the country, Khorasan (Land of the Rising Sun). The sun rays symbolized the people's liberation and the beginning of a new era. The green lower part showed a stylized mihrab and minbar. Below the circular field was placed an open book, symbolizing the Quran and the Afghan history and also the cultural and scientific progress triggered by the revolution. The national colours were recalled in the ribbon surrounding a wreath of wheat spikes. On top of the emblem, a cogwheel symbolized industrialisation and the red star symbolized luck and victory of revolution and communism.

The image in Baert 2001 is similar to the one above.

On 30 November 1987, the Democratic Republic was abolished and a new flag was prescribed.

Ivan Sache, 12 April 2002

Coat-of-Arms

(Click on image to see full size detail)
by Peter Laursen