Chapter 9: Transforming Roadside Bombs

Once he finished speaking, Hevajra's eyes sparkled with excitement, eager to set out with the team immediately; however, it was essential to first ascertain the situation there before proceeding

Most tank shells are armor-piercing rounds, which are designed solely for the purpose of striking armored targets and cannot explode. Therefore, at that time, Muhammad did not intend to use the armor-piercing rounds; it was only later, when he had a sudden inspiration while laying deceptive mines, that he decided to utilize these armor-piercing shells. Although the warheads cannot be used, the propellant inside the shells can still generate tremendous power. Those more than ten armor-piercing and shrapnel shells are sufficient to give the Soviets a run for their money

The terrain here is concealed, and even if the Soviets wanted to conduct a purge, they would be unable to launch an attack due to the excessively rugged roads that prevent armored units from advancing. Furthermore, there is a water source in the rear mountains, making the choice of this base quite favorable

This thing is a fuse; without it, the shell will not explode. Muhammad displayed the unscrewed fuse to the others, and immediately, everyone widened their eyes. The fuse? The explosion of the shell relies entirely on it?

Captain Hewaija, please do not call me Your Excellency anymore, just call me Muhammad. Muhammad said: "Trust me, these shells are our recent treasures."

Upon hearing Muhammad's words, two guerrilla fighters immediately turned around and walked back. After taking two steps, they found no one responding. When they turned back again, they saw that the others had gathered around, and their faces flushed with embarrassment as they joined in.

Everywhere there are admiring gazes

Hermann finally mentioned the key point, which is also a matter of great concern for the other guerrilla fighters. Even the guerrilla leader, Hevajah, was attentively watching from the side

Undoubtedly, establishing this outpost is very appealing

"Herman, go to the back mountain and fetch some water to prepare dinner," said Hwa Jia to a guerrilla.

In fact, Muhammad is well aware that the difficulty of attacking this outpost is quite high. However, he has come here with the intention of gaining leadership of this guerrilla group, and to achieve that, he must win a few impressive battles to earn the trust of these people.

Muhammad couldn't help but marvel inwardly; if the guerrilla group he had originally belonged to had such a base, they would not have been completely wiped out, with only himself and Durani managing to escape.

The modification is also very simple. Although Muhammad currently does not have a suitable timed fuse, nor the commonly used mobile phone fuse that detonates upon receiving a call, even the most primitive method of detonating explosives using electrical wires, followed by detonating grenades, is still straightforward and effective

The outpost is guarded by a platoon of soldiers. Although their numbers are few, the machine guns create a crossfire, making it very difficult to launch a strong assault there

These things are actually quite simple

At present, without any other materials, this method of detonation is the simplest

"Disarm the bomb?" Upon hearing Muhammad say this, Durrani was immediately startled: "I, I..."

"What we are going to learn next is how to disassemble this fuse, remove the explosives and batteries inside, and extend the wires. This way, we only need to see the other party enter the range of our bomb ambush from a distance, connect the wires to the battery, and we can detonate our bomb," said Muhammad.

Muhammad is certainly confident; he knows that this shell cannot explode at all

Moreover, each outpost is stocked with a certain amount of weapons, ammunition, food, fuel, and other supplies, facilitating their use by the Soviets in the encirclement of guerrilla forces

Did everyone see that? As long as they are similar types of shells, from small mortar shells to large aircraft bombs, they all have this structure. In the future, if we encounter these shells, we must bring them back. We do not have heavy weapons, and these shells will be our gift to the Soviets said Muhammed

At the front are the warhead and the fuse, while at the back are the propellant and the primer. First, the fuse and the primer must be removed to ensure absolute safety

Of course, this requires disassembling the fuse, removing both the explosives and the battery from inside the fuse

"You are too close," said Muhammad. "This is a grenade; if it explodes, it can collapse this entire cave. You need to back away, just retreat to the back mountain."

That night, many people suffered from insomnia as they recalled each step. The next day, they would personally put into practice the modifications of the remaining shells. From then on, they had a new tactic to deal with the Soviets, which was to eliminate even those tanks that were impervious to powerful bullets using this method

Up to this point, the Soviets firmly believed that they would easily win this campaign against the guerrillas, unaware that Afghanistan was becoming a quagmire, ensnaring the Soviet army and ultimately burying the Soviet empire.

Good things should be kept for gradual use, this type of shell relies on explosions to eliminate enemies, these thirty shells will become thirty powerful roadside bombs

The fuse of the shell is very safe; it only disarms when it is fired from the cannon, experiencing a significant acceleration. Under normal circumstances, even if it is mishandled or falls from a vehicle, it will not detonate.

I have a plan, "Muhammad said.

The aroma of food soon wafted through the air, especially after today's battle, where several cans of Soviet tankers' caviar were seized. Spreading the caviar on a flatbread and then placing it in one's mouth was simply delicious

Of course, for safety's sake, Muhammad still needs to remove the fuse first. Moreover, to convert it into a roadside bomb, it is essential to modify the fuse.

God bless, there will definitely be no accidents, the two of them gathered their courage and approached.

Upon seeing Muhammad about to dismantle the shell, the guerrilla fighters who had just surrounded him instinctively began to retreat. They understood that once that object exploded, its power would be quite immense

Initially, I thought it would be quite difficult, but when Durani easily unscrewed the fuse and primer of the shell, he felt a great sense of accomplishment

"Muhammad, how can we take down this outpost?" Hevajah asked

After Muhammad finished, he began his practical actions

For these guerrillas, this shell is still a novel item, yet Muhammed is very well aware of the structure of this shell

After speaking, Muhammad unfolded a map he carried with him, examined it carefully, and said: "There is a outpost twenty kilometers to the west of here, you all know about it, right?"

The mountain path is rugged, and it seems to be the same everywhere; however, the guerrilla fighters walk with ease. If it were not for the heavy shells they carry on their shoulders, they could almost walk briskly.

Next, turning the shell over, Muhammad once again unscrewed the primer at the back.

"Move all these shells inside," said Hevajah. After speaking, he turned to Muhammad beside him and said, "Your Excellency, we have now transported all these shells to the base, but we do not have any tank guns, so these shells cannot be used. I wonder if you have any suggestions?"

Yes. Hermann took out a large iron bucket from the cave and ran towards the back mountain

"Instructor, I truly did not expect that you could even disassemble this shell," said Durani from the side

This is the primer, similar to a bullet. The firing pin strikes the primer, igniting the propellant and propelling the projectile forward. Muhammad showcased the removed primer to these individuals once again

Although disarming a shell sounds very dangerous, in reality, as long as one does not encounter mechanical failure, disarming a shell poses no danger whatsoever

A large crowd gathered around, watching as Muhammad carried out the shell.

Guerrilla fighters are those who engage in guerrilla warfare; direct assaults are not their strong suit

"Rest assured, I will guide you, there will be no problems. These shells of ours must be transformed into bombs under our control," Muhammad said. "We will detonate them when the Soviet convoy passes by."

Muhammad's achievements were such that Khawaja only believed after witnessing them firsthand; otherwise, he would not have allowed his subordinates to transport so many shells back, as he considered these shells to be of no use.

If that outpost is taken down, it will be much more convenient

Seeing everyone focused intently, Muhammad felt a sense of accomplishment as he disarmed the fuse. Although it was more dangerous than disarming a bomb, under Muhammad's skillful hands, nothing was impossible to achieve

Finally, after walking for an hour in the barren mountains, Hevajra said: "We have arrived"

"So how can we detonate these shells?" a voice asked. Muhammad looked over and saw it was Herman.

The reason why Muhammad insists on obtaining these shells is that he understands their utility; although they cannot be used for launching, they are still the best option for making roadside bombs

When Muhammad mentioned this, it seemed he was going to attack that outpost, and immediately, Khwaja became interested

So simple!

"Dulani, follow my previous method and dismantle another one," said Muhammad

The grand display of dismantling the shells here is also intentional on Muhammad's part; he aims to teach these guerrillas how to do it, after all, he is the instructor

In front of so many people, one cannot simply admit to being afraid. However, if this thing were to explode, no one here would survive

This outpost, they certainly became aware of it, after the Soviets took control of Jalalabad, began to gradually construct outposts outward from the city in order to deal with the guerrillas

Dulani finally complied with the instructor's order and carefully disassembled another shell

Muhammad exerted force with both hands, and amidst the squeaking sounds, he twisted out a conical object from the top of the projectile

Ahead, a cave appeared, its entrance nearly vertical and obscured by the mountain opposite, making it almost impossible to detect from the air. This natural cave served as the base for this guerrilla unit.

This outpost, recently established at the mountain pass, forces the guerrillas to take a detour along a narrow path when entering and exiting the mountainous area, resulting in an additional journey of several dozen kilometers before they can return here

If others are not afraid, why should I be afraid? Moreover, just by looking at the instructor's demeanor, one can tell that he is confident and well-prepared.