According to Iraf, Abdul Ahad Mohmand, who in 1988 inscribed Afghanistan’s name in the history of world spaceflight by traveling to the “Mir” space station, passed away following a period of serious illness in Germany. He was the first citizen of Afghanistan and the fourth Muslim in the world to travel to space, achieving several historic milestones during his mission.
From Birth in Ghazni to a Journey into Space
Abdul Ahad Mohmand was born in 1959 (1337 in the Solar Hijri calendar) in the Andar district of Ghazni province. After completing his secondary education at Habibia High School in Kabul, he enrolled at Kabul Polytechnic University and subsequently joined military service.
Mohmand was sent to the Soviet Union for aviation training, studying at the Krasnodar Higher Military Aviation School and the Kyiv Air Force Engineering Academy. Upon returning to Afghanistan, he served as a fighter pilot in the Afghan Air Force, quickly becoming one of its most distinguished personnel.
His scientific and professional capabilities led to his selection for the Soviet “Interkosmos” space program, which enabled allied countries of the Soviet Union to participate in space missions.
The Journey to Space
The pinnacle of Mohmand’s professional life came on August 29, 1988, when he launched aboard the “Soyuz TM-6” spacecraft alongside Vladimir Lyakhov and Valeri Polyakov, bound for the “Mir” space station.
He spent approximately 9 days in Earth orbit, participating in a series of scientific, medical, and biological experiments. Part of his mission was dedicated to studying human biological conditions in space, while another part involved photographing Earth and various regions of the world.
During this journey, Mohmand was also able to photograph Afghanistan — images considered among the first recorded views of the country from beyond Earth’s atmosphere. He also communicated by telephone from orbit with Dr. Najibullah, then-president of Afghanistan, and with members of his own family.
One of the most enduring moments of this mission was carrying a copy of the Holy Quran into space and reciting verses from it in Earth orbit — an act that secured his place in the history of world space exploration and among Muslims worldwide.
His conversation with his mother in Pashto also marked the first time this language was heard in space, recorded in the annals of spaceflight history — an event that many Afghans regard as a symbol of their country’s presence in the global arena of science and technology.
Mohmand’s Legacy
Abdul Ahad Mohmand’s successful return to Earth was met with widespread celebration among the Afghan people, and he became one of the country’s most recognized national figures.
That same year, Mohmand received the titles “Hero of the Soviet Union” and “Hero of the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan,” along with the Order of Lenin, and later was appointed deputy minister of civil aviation of Afghanistan.
Following the fall of Dr. Najibullah’s government and the onset of the civil wars, Mohmand left Afghanistan and settled in Germany in 1992. He obtained German citizenship in 2003 and lived near the city of Stuttgart until the end of his life.
During his years in Europe, Mohmand continued to be recognized as one of Afghanistan’s scientific icons, and in 2013, on the occasion of the 25th anniversary of his spaceflight, he returned to the country at the invitation of the Afghan government.
In a country known for decades of war, insecurity, and crisis, the name Abdul Ahad Mohmand has consistently served as a reminder of one of Afghanistan’s few scientific and international achievements.
Many Afghans regard him not merely as an astronaut, but as a symbol of capability, knowledge, and proof of the reality that Afghanistan, too, can have a share and a presence in the world’s most advanced scientific arenas.
With the passing of Abdul Ahad Mohmand, Afghanistan has lost one of the most distinguished scientific figures of its contemporary history — a man whose name will forever be tied to the first journey of an Afghan into space.
Widespread Reactions to the Astronaut’s Death
Following the announcement of Abdul Ahad Mohmand’s passing, Afghan social media has been filled with messages of condolence and sympathy, reflecting his special standing in Afghan public opinion.
Hamid Karzai, former president of Afghanistan, wrote of Mohmand: Abdul Ahad Mohmand was the first Afghan to travel to space and achieved an unforgettable and outstanding feat for Afghanistan.
Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, former president of Afghanistan, in his reaction to Mohmand’s death, wrote: using the boundless expanse of the divine cosmos, alongside the colors and national message of Afghanistan, he introduced his country to the world — and alongside his Afghan identity, by holding the Holy Quran, the sacred book of Islam, he also displayed a reflection of his Islamic faith to his fellow Soyuz cosmonauts and to the world.
Referring to Mohmand’s 9-day journey to space, he stated: his presence aboard the “Mir” space station, for many Afghans, helped to a certain extent ease the bitterness of 1988 and the other years of that turbulent decade of civil war.
Mohammad Hanif Atmar, former Afghan foreign minister, also shared a photo of Mohmand, writing: Abdul Ahad Mohmand is a pride-bringing son of Afghanistan who traveled to space holding the Quran and, on this journey, also gave voice to his mother tongue.
Separately, Shah Hussain Murtazawi, advisor to the former president, wrote on the matter: unfortunately, every so often news emerges of the passing of one of the country’s enduring and pride-bringing figures in a foreign land — news that leaves deep sorrow in the hearts of compatriots.
He added: the passing of Abdul Ahad Mohmand, Afghanistan’s first astronaut and one of this land’s most distinguished sons, is a great loss for the people of Afghanistan. Through his historic journey into space, he put Afghanistan’s name on the world stage and left behind a golden chapter in the country’s history.
Many Afghan users have reacted to his death by sharing photographs of Abdul Ahad Mohmand and writing messages of condolence.
