Hafizullah Amin

(1929-1979)

Afghan president

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Hafizullah Amin (Pashto/Dari: حفيظ الله امين‎; born 1 August 1929 – 27 December 1979) was an Afghan communist politician during the Cold War. Amin was born in Paghman and educated at Kabul University, after which he started his career as a teacher. After a few years in that occupation, he went to the United States to study. He would visit the United States a second time before moving permanently to Afghanistan, and starting his career in radical politics. He ran as a candidate in the 1965 parliamentary election but failed to secure a seat. Amin was the only Khalqist elected to parliament in the 1969 parliamentary election, thus increasing his standing within the party. He was one of the leading organizers of the Saur Revolution which overthrew the government of Mohammad Daoud Khan. In 1979 he named himself as president, prime minister, and chairman of the Khalq wing. He has been described as "ruthless" and a "radical Marxist".