One of those who experienced these difficult times is Zhyrgalbek Isabaev, originally from the village of Boz-Bulun, located in the Ak-Suu district of the Issyk-Kul region. At the age of 18, he found himself on the battlefield.
In an interview with a Turmush correspondent, the veteran shared his experience of serving in the army, which coincided with the Afghan war. “I was drafted into a military regiment in Kapchagay (Kazakhstan). At the time of the draft, I had not yet turned 19. Initially, they recruited volunteers, and upon arrival, we were formed into the so-called 'Muslim battalion.' The first days in Afghanistan, especially in the winter of 1979, were extremely difficult. Our level of training was not the highest, and the cold and war required enormous efforts. We lost comrades who had been with us just yesterday,” recalls Zhyrgalbek.
Isabaev spent 1.5 years in Afghanistan. He notes: “The Afghan war became one of the largest military operations after World War II. Over the 10 years of the conflict, 15,702 people died, many of whom were children and innocent civilians. We saw terrible things, and I always hope that such events will never happen again. If I were to recount every day, I could write a book. Now the veterans are between 55 and 65 years old, and we actively participate in events dedicated to the patriotic education of the youth. We wish everyone a bright future,” he adds.
Gallery: Zhyrgalbek Isabaev
After returning from Afghanistan, Isabaev continued his service in the internal affairs bodies. “During my service in Afghanistan, I became a member of the party, and upon returning home, I decided to become a military officer. Since 1981, I began working as a district inspector in the Internal Affairs Department of the Issyk-Kul region, then I was in the duty unit and dealt with classified documents. Currently, I am retired,” he recounts.
For his service, Isabaev received numerous awards, including the 'Erdik' medal, the 'Gratitude from the Afghan People' medal, the 'Police Excellence' medal, and the 'Aзамат' medals (1st, 2nd, 3rd degrees) — departmental awards from the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
With his wife, Zhyrgalbek raised three children and now takes pride in having eight grandchildren.
