Republic of Afghanistan, 1974-1978 The first Afghan republic was created in 1973 after Mohammed Daou

Republic of Afghanistan, 1974-1978

The first Afghan republic was created in 1973 after Mohammed Daoud Khan deposed his cousin, the king, in a non-violent coup. Daoud was known for his progressive politics and attempts to modernise the country with help from both the Soviet Union and the United States, among others.

Black stands for the obscure past, red for blood shed for independence, and green for prosperity from agriculture. In the canton is a new seal, with an eagle with spread wings, a pulpit (minbar) on the eagle’s chest (for a mosque), wheat surrounding the eagle, and the sun’s rays above the eagle (for the new republic).

When the leader of the republic was killed in a coup, the new regime, with the assistance of the Soviet Union, established a secular socialist state and introduced a red soviet flag.