THE NATIONAL UNION FOR THE TOTAL INDEPENDENCE OF ANGOLA
UNITA
STANDING COMMITTEE OF THE POLITICAL COMMISSION
1999 - Year of Generalised Popular Resistance
COMMUNIQUE NO. 5/CPM/99
The Standing Committee of the Political Commission of UNITA informs that, on March 3rd 1999 at 5am, the forces of the Generalised Popular Resistance stormed and defeated the armed forces of Jose Eduardo dos Santos who were intending to raid and take the city of Audulo, in the Bie province.
Jose Eduardo dos Santos force was composed of 7 units, namely, the 1st; 2nd; 18th; 170th groupings, one battalion of special commandos, one company of special operations and one company of specialist landing and attack. A total of 6,000 (six thousand) men.
From the violent combats that took place in the vicinity of Tunda Chisokokwa, 42 km south of Andulo we registered the following preliminary results:
(a) Enemy human casualties; 225 soldiers of Eduardo dos Santos' are confirmed killed.
(b) War materials destroyed:
- 12 assault vehicles - type BMP-2
- 11 troop transport vehicles - type UNIMOG
- 06 vehicles equipped with 23m/m anti-aircraft cannons
- 04 self-propelled 122m/m cannons - type D-30
- 03 23m/m cannons
(c) Captured war materials:
- 09 assault vehicles - type BMP-2
- 05 self-propelled 122m/m cannons - type D-30
- 05 vehicles equipped with 23m/m anti-aircraft cannons
- 02 vehicles equipped with mobile bridges - type TMM
- huge quantities of war materials of good quality and of various calibers -
stock taking not complete yet
Bailundo, 4th March 1999
The Standing Committee