1990 Afghan coup attempt

1990 Afghan coup d'état attempt
	Part of the Afghan Civil War (1989–1992)
Date	March 6, 1990
Location	Afghanistan
Result	Afghan government victory; Shahnawaz Tanai flees to Pakistan; Coup attempt thwarted;
Belligerents
Afghanistan Homeland Party (Parcham faction); Supported by:; Pro-Najibullah Khalqists	Military faction; Supported by:; Pro-Tanai Khalqists ; Hezb-e Islami Gulbuddin
Commanders and leaders
Mohammad Najibullah Mohammad Aslam Watanjar Khushal Peroz	Shahnawaz Tanai ; Gulbuddin Hekmatyar; Assadullah Sarwari; Sayed Mohammad Gulabzoy; Bacha Gul Wafadar; Mohammad Hasan Sharq; Nazar Mohammad; Mohammad Dawran (alleged)
Military support
Afghan Armed Forces Afghan Commando Forces; Afghan Army 717th Civil Disciplinary Regiment; Harbi Military University students; 10th Infantry Division; ; Afghan National Guard; 21st Guards Regiment; 22nd Guards Regiment; ; Sarandoy 8th Gendarme Brigade; ; KhAD 1st Directorate; 5th Directorate; ; Revolution Defence Units;	Afghan Armed Forces defectors Afghan Army 4th Tank Brigade; 15th Tank Brigade; 52nd Signal Regiment; 40th Infantry Division; 8th Infantry Division; 61st Heavy Artillery Regiment; ; Afghan Commando Forces 37th Commando Brigade; ; Afghan Air Force 99th Missile Brigade; 77th Air Defence Regiment; ; ; Sarandoy 22nd Motorway Sentry Brigade; 5th Gendarme Division; ; Afghan Border Force Border Force Training Centre; ; Mujahideen factions;

The 1990 Afghan coup d'etat attempt occurred on March 6, 1990, when General Shahnawaz Tanai, a hardline communist and Khalqist who served as Minister of Defence, attempted to overthrow President Mohammad Najibullah of the Republic of Afghanistan. The coup attempt failed and Tanai was forced to flee to Pakistan.^[1]

^ Coll, Steve (28 November 2012). "In Afghanistan, Dinner and Then a Coup". The New Yorker – via www.newyorker.com.