Brigadier-General Khatool Mohammadzai, Parachutist.

[Tretov]

"General Mohammadzai Khatol, 38, the first Afghan woman paratrooper is in his office in the Defence ministry building. She started her military career as a paratrooper and jumping in 1984 during the Soviet invasion in Afghanistan."

thruafghaneyes: General Mohammadzai Khatol Afghan woman paratrooper

Impressive amount of awards!

[Greg Collins]

I sincerely hope this Comrade made it out before the Socialist government fell. The extremists would have had a field day with her; one can only imagine what she would have been put through prior to being killed. Not a great place to be a woman of vision.

[CtahhR]

Here is one of, if not thee most famous Afghani warriors of modern time Khatool Mohammadzai. Born in 1968, she joined the Air Force at the age of 16 in 1984 and was the first Afghan female ever to perform a jump. She was in service to Afghanistan until forced into retirement in 1996 with the rank of Colonel, only to return to service in the Afghan National Army in 2003. Due to being female she was restricted from going into combat and served as a Parachutist instructor - performing over 600 jumps. She married in 1991 and her husband was killed in combat within a year and only days after the birth of their son.

Notice in these "earlier" pictures that she wears the Soviet Parachutist Badge.

[CtahhR]

In these photographs she compares herself to the young jumper she once was and reveals just what was under her Taliban enforced burqa - certainly food for thought there (and the Soviet Badge).

[CtahhR]

Here is a pair of more recent photographs, displaying her many awards although the Soviet Badge is missing.