In April 1978, the communist People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan (PDPA) seized power in Afghanistan in the Saur Revolution. The coup was strategically planned to begin Thursday 27 April, because it was the day before Friday, the Muslim day of worship, and most military commanders and government workers were off duty. With the help of a few airplanes of Afghanistan's military air force, which were mainly Soviet made MiG-21 Fishbed and Su-7BMK Fitter-As. The aerial attacks on the palace intensified about midnight as six Su-7BMK Fitter-As made repeated rocket attacks, lighting up the city.
Under the coup, two aircraft were lost: MiG-21UM Mongol-B was damaged by the antiaircraft fire, after which pilot ejected; Su-7BMK Fitter-A's pilot of which on the takeoff felt bad and ejected. In addition, three MiG-21 Fishbed, four Su-7 Fitter, a Mi-8 Hip, an Il-14 Create, and an An-26 Curl, have been damaged.
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