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Operation Panga

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Operation Panga
Part ofRhodesian Bush War
Date17 April 1971
Location
Result

Rhodesian victory

  • ZIPRA camp destroyed.
Belligerents
Rhodesia ZIPRA
Commanders and leaders
RhodesiaMaj. Peter Rich Unknown
Units involved

Rhodesian Army

RhAF
unknown
Strength
10 troopers unknown
Casualties and losses
none 1 killed
1 wounded

Operation Pangawas a military operation launched by theRhodesian Security Forces(RSF) against a camp belonging to the communist insurgent group,ZIPRA.The cadres camp was located on theMushenshi RiverinZambia.[1]

Background

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At this point in the war Rhodesia's political and military position appeared to be a strong one. Nationalist guerrillas had been unable to make serious military inroads against Rhodesia. In the early 1970s the two main nationalist groups faced serious internal divisions, aid from theOrganisation of African Unitywas temporarily suspended in 1971 and 129 nationalists were expelled from Zambia after they were alleged to have plotted against PresidentKenneth Kaunda.[2]Furthermore Britain's efforts to isolate Rhodesia economically had not forced major compromises from the Smith Government.

In 1971, Rhodesia joinedAlcora Exercise,a secret defensive alliance for Southern Africa, formalised in 1970 by Portugal and South Africa. Alcora formalised and deepened the political and military co-operation between the three countries in the fight against the revolutionary insurgency in the territories of Rhodesia, Angola, Mozambique andSouth West Africaand in the prevention of possible external aggression to those territories from the hostile neighbouring countries.

The Raid

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On 17 April 1971 a ten-strong force from theRhodesian SAS,supported by theRhodesian Air Force(RhAF) attacked the ZIPRA camp. During the raid one cadre was killed and another was wounded. Once the SAS team had secured the camp the troopers discovered enemy intelligence whilst recovering the enemy’s equipment. All of this was then brought back toRhodesiawhen the SAS team was picked up by air forcehelicopters.

References

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Bibliography

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  • Britannica (1972).Britannica Book of the Year 1972: Events of 1971.Chicago, Illinois:Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
  • Geldenhuys, Preller(2007).Rhodesian Air Force Operations with Air Strike Log.Durban, South Africa: Just Done Productions Publishing (published 13 July 2007).ISBN978-1-920169-61-9.Archived fromthe originalon 24 December 2014.Retrieved8 July2018.