Khalq ("Masses" or "People" in Pashto) was a faction of the
People's Democratic Party of Afghanistan. Its historical leaders were Presidents
Nur Muhammad Taraki and
Hafizullah Amin. It was also the name of the leftist newspaper produced by the same movement. It was supported by the
USSR and was formed in 1965 when the PDPA was born. The Khalqist wing of the party was made up primarily of
Pashtuns from non-elite classes. However, their Marxism was often a vehicle for tribal resentments. Bitter resentment between the Khalq and
Parcham factions eventually led to the failure of the
Democratic Republic of Afghanistan that was formed as a result of the
Saur Revolution. It was also responsible for the radical reforms that encouraged the rebellion of the religious segments present in the Afghan society, which led to the creation of the
Mujahideen and, eventually, to the
Soviet military intervention in December 1979.