[8] According to Kaushik Roy, the Mujahideen managed to temporarily seize the airport as part of their broader offensive on 7 June 1989, although it was recaptured by government forces two days later on 9 March.

[10] The Afghan Interim Government, composed of seven Jihadi parties and backed by Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) known as Peshawar Seven, on securing Jalalabad as a key target following the Soviet withdrawal.

[11] On the morning of March 7, a subunit of the Afghan Army stationed overnight at an outpost came under heavy shelling and missile attacks by insurgents of the National Islamic Front of Afghanistan.

Within the next hour, two additional neighboring outposts fell to the rebels, bringing the total losses for government forces in the sector to approximately 70 killed or wounded and 180 captured.

With government resistance significantly reduced, the division's command, including General Mohammad Ehsan, abandoned the base alongside elements of their forces.

According to a rebel commander, Afghan troops had evacuated the village the previous night, leaving only a small number of soldiers who were unable to mount significant resistance against the assault.

[12][13] The Afghan Armed Forces successfully regained control of Samarkhel from the Mujahideen and Al-Qaeda volunteers in late June to early July after heavy fighting.