When is Soviet Troop Withdrawal Day?
In 2026, Soviet Troop Withdrawal Day falls on Sunday, February 15, 2026. It is classified here as a Afghan public holiday.
History of Soviet Troop Withdrawal Day
The Day of Soviet Troop Withdrawal in Afghanistan falls on February 15, the date on which the last Soviet military units crossed the Friendship Bridge in 1989. Their departure completed the timetable associated with the 1988 Geneva Accords, after an intervention that had begun in December 1979. The withdrawal did not end Afghanistan’s war: the Soviet-backed government remained in Kabul until 1992, armed opposition groups continued fighting, and civilians lived with displacement, loss and damaged institutions. Describing the day only as a battlefield victory would therefore conceal the many different Afghan experiences attached to it.
The current de facto Ministry of Foreign Affairs includes February 15 among three nationwide public holidays and uses an English title referring to victory and the former Soviet withdrawal. ACBAR’s independently maintained operational calendar uses the descriptive wording ‘Day of the defeat and withdrawal of former Soviet troops’ and confirms the closure. This guide uses a neutral title so readers do not confuse the ministry’s phrase ‘Islamic State’ with the unrelated armed group commonly abbreviated ISIS or ISIL.
The 2007 republic-era Labour Law also listed 26 Dalwa, corresponding to February 15, as paid public leave. Afghanistan’s labour framework is currently under review: the labour ministry reported in 2026 that a new draft law had been prepared. The date is reliable for the current public calendar, but private-sector leave, essential services and special work schedules should be checked through a current employer or local notice rather than inferred from the former republic’s statute.
How Soviet Troop Withdrawal Day is observed
A currently confirmed nationwide public holiday on February 15; government services close, while essential and private-sector arrangements require local confirmation.
Traditions of Soviet Troop Withdrawal Day
Official statements
Current authorities issue formal messages about the 1989 withdrawal, often using language of sovereignty, resistance and the end of foreign military presence.
Historical remembrance
Families and communities may remember people killed, displaced or injured during the Soviet-Afghan war, with perspectives shaped by distinct local experiences.
Documentary programming
Afghan media and institutions may publish archive photographs, speeches or historical programmes about the intervention, withdrawal and conflicts that continued afterward.
Dates and observance rules are checked against the official Afghan official and legal guidance. Lunar-calendar dates, current public-holiday practice and local-service schedules should be confirmed against official notices.
History sources: ACBAR: confirmed Afghanistan national-holiday calendar, UN Peacemaker: 1988 agreements on Afghanistan, Afghanistan Ministry of Foreign Affairs: independence days, Afghanistan Ministry of Labour: 2026 labour-law review.
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