- This article is about a fictional representation of a real world subject.
Afghanistan is country located in Asia. As a mountainous, land-locked region with high elevation, the landscape is dynamic and includes farmland, deserts and valleys. Nicknamed the "heart of Asia" due to its centric location, it is bordered by Pakistan in the east and south, Iran in the west, the former Soviet Union to the north, and Zanzibar Land and China in the northeast.
History[]
The Democratic Republic of Afghanistan (DRA) was founded in 1978 through a coup d'etat. Certain Muslim factions rebelled against the new government, and per the DRA's request, the Soviet Union deployed forces to the area. This led in 1979 to a bloody war between the self-proclaimed "Mujahideen" and Soviet-led Afghan government forces. Revolver Ocelot was involved in the conflict, where he was feared by the Mujahideen as "Shalashaska" due to his brutal interrogation skills. International journalist Holly White reported on events there.[1]
| Warning: The following information is from outside Hideo Kojima's core "Metal Gear Saga." Its canonicity within the continuity is disputed, therefore reader discretion is advised.[?] |
Boris Vyacheslavovich Popov participated in the Soviet–Afghan War, killing dozens of guerrillas.[2]
| Non-"Metal Gear Saga" information ends here. |
Aerial photo of Diamond Dogs' area of operations in northern Kabul, 1984.
By 1984, the Soviet's 40th Army and the Mujahideen were still engaged in bitter conflict. While on their way back to a Pakistan tribal area, from training the Mujahideen at a mountain cap in Kunar Province, soldiers of the private military company Diamond Dogs, including their commander Kazuhira Miller, were ambushed by hostile forces on the Afghan side of the Zero Line. All were killed except Miller, who was taken prisoner and transferred to Da Ghwandai Khar via Da Wiallo Kallai, in the Soviet-controlled area of northern Kabul, and brutally interrogated.
Venom Snake set out to rescue Miller, with the assistance of Ocelot, who accompanied him as far as the Spugmay Ruins, before withdrawing to Diamond Dogs' Mother Base to provide radio support. Snake later arrived at Da Wiallo Kallai and found intel files disclosing Miller's location at Da Ghwandai Khar. During this time, there were 14 Soviet military camps, as well as over two dozen outposts, within Diamond Dogs' area of operations in northern Kabul. The Soviets' scorched earth policy had driven all locals from this area, and former villages comprised some of the military camps.
Although the Mujahideen were ultimately successful in driving out the Soviets from Afghanistan, their inability to form a stable government and their subsequent infighting, resulted in a new armed movement, the Taliban, coming to power.
During the Zanzibar Land Disturbance in 1999, Solid Snake performed a HAHO parachute jump into Zanzibar Land territory from the Afghanistan border.[1]
The Afghan Taliban government's links with terrorist group al-Qaeda, led the United States to launch the War in Afghanistan in response to the 9/11 attacks in 2001.
| Warning: The following information is from outside Hideo Kojima's core "Metal Gear Saga." Its canonicity within the continuity is disputed, therefore reader discretion is advised.[?] |
Future mercenaries Sundowner and Mistral participated in this war.[2]
| Non-"Metal Gear Saga" information ends here. |
Geography[]
Afghanistan was largely rocky and arid, many areas full of rocky terrain, hills steppes and mountains, alongside sand dunes and scrubland. Many formally inhabited areas were composed of brick buildings with some signs of modern conveniences and methods for extracting and keeping water. Sandstorms were somewhat frequent, infrequently it would be cloudy, and very rarely it would also rain.
Flora[]
Despite the harsh climate and arid nature of the environment a garden variety of plant life made its home within Afghanistan; while not densely packed with trees many small brushes, bushes and grasses continued to survive in the generally rocky or sandy earth. Flowering plants that Snake could find and utilize included Wormwood, Golden Crescent, Black Carrot, Tarragon and the rare Haoma bush.
Fauna[]
A variety of once domesticated goats and sheep roamed the land in small herds, alongside wild asses popping up in deeper mountains. The desert provided ample opportunities for snakes, scorpions to prey on large animals, and birds such as ravens or vultures would consume carrion. A host of small herbivore and bug consuming mammals such as bats, long-eared hedgehogs, gerbils also made their home here. Predators consisted of foxes, small cats, grey wolves as well as the rare Eurasian brown bear and Himalayan bear.
Locations[]
- See also: Map of Northern Kabul, Afghanistan
A map of Diamond Dogs' area of operations in northern Kabul, 1984.
- Aabe Shifap Ruins
- Afghanistan Central Base Camp
- Lamar Khaate Palace
- Da Ghwandai Khar
- Da Shago Kallai
- Da Smasei Laman
- Da Wiallo Kallai
- Eastern Communications Post
- Mountain Relay Base
- OKB Zero
- Qarya Sakhra Ee
- Serak Power Plant
- Spugmay Keep
- Wakh Sind Barracks
- Yakho Oboo Supply Outpost
Behind the scenes[]
The map for Afghanistan in Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain was based on Jordan, according to Hideo Kojima in a podcast. This is despite the fact that Jordan is largely desert whereas Afghanistan is largely mountainous. There are several geographical inaccuracies compared to in real life. For example, the city of Kabul is in reality within a mountain range and nowhere near desert; heavy snowfall is common in the mountains of Afghanistan in the winter, but it never snows within the game; and the lack of rainfall in the game does not represent the rainy spring season of the country in real life.
Despite that, some of the specific locations are inspired or look very similar to ones that exist in real-life Afghanistan. For example, Lamar Khaate Palace is based on the 1920s Darul Aman Palace, while the Aabe Shifap Ruins has a statue based on the Paghman "Victory Arch".
Appearances[]
- Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake (mentioned)
- Metal Gear Solid (mentioned)
- Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (mentioned)
- Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain
References[]
- ^ a b Metal Gear 2: Solid Snake - User's Manual, Konami Corporation (1990).
- ^ a b Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
External links[]
- Afghanistan on Wikipedia.