| Conflict: | First Battle of Jalalabad Airport |
| Partof: | Afghan Civil War (1989–1992), Battle of Jalalabad (1989) and Afghanistan–Pakistan skirmishes |
| Date: | 6–8 March |
| Place: | Jalalabad Airport, Republic Of Afghanistan |
| Result: | Disputed
|
| Combatant1: |  Republic Of Afghanistan Supported by: Soviet Union |
| Combatant2: | Afghan Interim Government
Supported by: Al Qaeda (Arab Foreign Fighters) |
| Commander1: | Mohammad Najibullah Shahnawaz Tanai[3] General Barakzai |
| Commander2: | Gulbuddin Hekmatyar  Hamid Gul |
| Units1: | Afghan Army
Ministry of Interior:
Afghan National Guard:
Afghan Air ForceRevolution Defense Groups |
| Units2: | Interim Afghan Government
Pakistan
|
| Strength1: | Afghanistan:
|
| Strength2: | Hezb-I-Islami Gulbuddin:
|
| Casualties1: | Republic Of Afghanistan
|
| Casualties2: | Afghan Government in Exile:
|
The First Battle of Jalalabad Airport was a battle between fighters associated with the Afghan Interim Government and Afghan government forces that took place at Jalalabad Airport on 6–8 March 1989, as part of the Battle of Jalalabad and the greater Afghan Civil War. that began after the Soviets withdrew from the country in February 1989. A second battle broke out at the airport on 9 March 1989.[4]
In February 1989 the Soviet Union withdrew its forces from the Republic of Afghanistan as part of the Geneva Accords. In March 1989 the Afghan Interim Government launched an attack on the Eastern city of Jalalabad with the support of the Pakistani Inter-Service Intelligence. The Americans reportedly were motivated by their wish to humiliate the Marxists and send them out of Afghanistan "clinging to their helicopters", thus avenge the fall of South Vietnam; Pakistan wished to establish a friendly government in Kabul led by the Peshawar Seven.
