Photos AK and its derivatives in action

PGO-7 optic (originally made for RPG-7) used on AKS-74, Soviet Union, 1980s
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Romanian AKs are no rare sight today in Afghanistan, but they have more deeper roots in that country, Mujahedeen were supplied with PM md.63/65 rifles in 1980s as well, Where did CIA mobilize those rifles from in rather unknown, could be that They bought them from Romania itself (cause war is just business), however, it is clear that US had a stockpile of those rifles since US army did opfor training in 1980s with Romanian AKs. A second theory suggests that those rifles were supplied to Pro-Communist government by Romania but I think its less likely

Pictures of PM md.63/65 during Soviet-Afghan war

Mujahedeen with PM md.63
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Soldier of Afghan army with Romanian AK
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Captured PM mds from Mujahedeen
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And even East German MPi-KMS-72 appered in hand of Mujahedeen, as of origin of those I have no clue, maybe black market, maybe excellent work of CIA, or could be Egypt which had limited amount of such rifles bought before 1973.

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Zastava made AKs in action

Zastava M70 is an AKM variant which was developed in Yugoslavia, it can be easily identified by different style handguard and pistol grip, early models had also very specific muzzle brake. M70A is a version with AKMS style folding stock, M70B1 is model with a stamped receiver. Iraq also made copies of Zastava M70 called Tabuk. It is very hard to tell apart M70 and Tabuk since there is no clear difference, however, my note is that Iraqi rifles have little bit more bright wood used on handguards. Other interesting thing about Yugoslav rifles is that they were designed to use rifle granades and they actually have grenade rifle sights, however never models, such as M70B3 have those sights removed and use GP-25 style grenade launchers. With about 4,000,000 made, M70 often can be found on battlefields outside former Yugoslavia

M70A used during War in Bosnia
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Serb soldier with M70
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Serb soldier using M70A with rifle grenade launcher device on the muzzle, Kosovo, 1999
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M70A, Slovenia.
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Macedonian soldiers in Iraq with M70A rifles
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Iraqi commandos with Tabuk rifles (check out that camo!)
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Iraqi policeman with Tabuk
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Iraqi policeman with Yugoslav made - M70A - Iraq also imported some number of original Yugoslav made M70s
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Afghan policeman with M70
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Kurdish fighter with Tabuk rifle, 2013
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Somali soldier with M70
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South Sudanese soldier with M70
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US OPFOR using Tabuk
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M70A (newer B2 model) used by Syrian rebel, 2017
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and even newer, M70B3 in use with FSA
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Zastava made AKs in action

Zastava M70 is an AKM variant which was developed in Yugoslavia, it can be easily identified by different style handguard and pistol grip, early models had also very specific muzzle brake. M70A is a version with AKMS style folding stock, M70B1 is model with a stamped receiver. Iraq also made copies of Zastava M70 called Tabuk. It is very hard to tell apart M70 and Tabuk since there is no clear difference, however, my note is that Iraqi rifles have little bit more bright wood used on handguards. Other interesting thing about Yugoslav rifles is that they were designed to use rifle granades and they actually have grenade rifle sights, however never models, such as M70B3 have those sights removed and use GP-25 style grenade launchers. With about 4,000,000 made, M70 often can be found on battlefields outside former Yugoslavia

I have handled and fired Zastavas. I have to say, I think it's the nicest AK "off the shelf" so to speak in terms of quality. I would rate it higher than the Soviet-made ones.
 
Romanian AKs are no rare sight today in Afghanistan, but they have more deeper roots in that country, Mujahedeen were supplied with PM md.63/65 rifles in 1980s as well, Where did CIA mobilize those rifles from in rather unknown, could be that They bought them from Romania itself (cause war is just business), however, it is clear that US had a stockpile of those rifles since US army did opfor training in 1980s with Romanian AKs. A second theory suggests that those rifles were supplied to Pro-Communist government by Romania but I think its less likely

Even during communist era Romania wasn't best friend with USSR most of the time, had being very critical to Soviet and WP invasion of Czeckoslovakia in 1968 (up to both sides massing troops at borders and having both USA and China supporting Romania, as China was also in bad terms with USSR) and also criticized afaik the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Romania also have over time surprisingly good relations with "the west" alll over 60 and up to early 80's, from receiving an American nuclear reactor (and later signing a contract with Canadians to build Romanian nuke plant) to receiving from the French the license to build the SA 330 Puma helicopters (and Allouete before that), build locally as IAR 330 Puma.

So its not impossible we just sell the guns to Americans (or Pakistanis), directly or through intermediaries, who then just gave them futher to Afghanis mujahedeens.

Here are some more rarer PA md 86 (Romanian AKM derivate in 5.45x39 mm, the local version of AK-74). The rifle have some resemblance with East Germany version of AK-74, and also have since the creation a "burst" position on fire selector positions, with a short burst of three bullets, beside the usual semiauto and full auto.

Used with a nightscope by mechanized Infantry soldiers

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In Afghanistan, with a different optic device and same underbarreled grenade launcher called AG-40

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And a PSL (semiautomatic rifle with scope), Romanian answer to Soviet SVD Dragunov, in the same 7.62x54 mm caliber. Can be considered part of AK family however, being inspired/developed from the RPK light machine gun, itself part of the same AK family


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Little bit of Galil and its variants in action

Galil ARM (light machine gun version with bipod and heavier barrel) used during Nicaragua civil war, this rifle was very common sight during this conflict
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Nepalese soldiers with 7.62 battle rifle version of Galil
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Soldier from Djibouti with 7.62 Galil
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Israeli policeman with Micro Galil, Israeli version of AKS-74U
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Another great thread and photos Talvisota.

*This rifle is Egyptian, note plastic pistol grip, sling texture/color and rifles finish.
If I recall correctly, Egypt supplied the new Iraqi Army with a sizeable batch in early 2004?
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A Romanian rifle, Model-1990 (AKMS) not MpiKMS-72. NOTE: push button stock release, East German (& Egyptian) version is lever type.
NOTE: Nylon, green sling, common with later model Romanian small arms.
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A Soviet 2nd Model AK-47 (NOTE: stock attachment to the reciever.) This particular rifle came off the Soviet assembly line between 1951-1954!
Still going...
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This Kosovo police officer holds an East German-made, MpikM (AKM) rifle.
*The German's (not sure if the actual government in Berlin or a independent German agency?) supplied the Kosovo Liberation Army with a sizeable number of former East German MPikM rifles in the late 1990's. Quite a few of these were captured by the Serb's and reused by the Gendermarie & 63rd Para Brigade.

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