 The Soviet army indiscriminately killed combatants and non-combatants to ensure submission by the local populations.The provinces of Nangarhar, Ghazni, Lagham, Kunar, Zabul, Qandahar, Badakhshan, Lowgar, Paktia and Paktika witnessed extensive depopulation programmes by the Soviet forces.The Soviet forces abducted Afghan women in helicopters while flying in the country in search of mujahideen.