Afghan soldiers who fought against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 were called

Afghan fighters who resisted the Soviet invasion beginning in 1979 were known as the Mujahideen, meaning those engaged in jihad or struggle. The Taliban emerged later, in the 1990s, while an ayatollah is a Shiite religious leader and a shah is a monarch. Therefore, the correct choice is the Mujahideen.

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