Episode 68 – UNITA overruns Cangamba with SAAF help but Russia gets proactive

By April 1983, SADF intelligence picked up that SWAPO had begun improving its military position in Angola and that their armed wing PLAN had managed a major incursion into Ovamboland. Then things went very quiet and intelligence reports suggested there seemed to be a link between SWAPOs special Unit being withdrawn, the signs of a large incursion into SWA which was to follow in 1984. At the same time, the SADF Chief of Staff Operations in Pretoria noted that the build-up going on across the border was biggest ever and had ordered a series of counter measures including Operation Meebos which we heard about last episode. While the politicians fretted about the global impact, on the ground top SADF officers were calling for another urgent invasion of Angola. As the discussions raged, it was clear that something needed to be done and that something would lead to one of the most significant actions of the Border War called Operation Askari. This was going to be different from previous conventional ops, because this time FAPLA, the Cubans and SWAPO were going to be respond more aggressively than during previous ops. And the SADF would face two far more serious challenges, the Soviet T54/55 tank and new radar controlled missile systems. The SADF and Jonas Savimbi’s UNITA had planned an operation together to destroy FAPLA headquarters in Cangamba – a small town in central Angola. UNITA’s initial assaults had been repulsed and they asked for assistance in overcoming a strong FAPLA contingent in the town. Unfortunately, there was a big problem following this success. The Angolans called on the Soviets to step up their weapon deliveries including the all-important T54/55s, and the Cubans increased the number of troops in Angola by 5 000 bringing the total number to 25000.