Government prepares new offensive

The Angolan army's Chief-of-Staff General Joao de Matos has set up his "forward command post" in the eastern province
of Moxico in a move state media described as part of a new strategy for the destruction of the UNITA rebel movement.

The FAA is apparently preparing a fresh offensive to capture the UNITA base of Cazombo, close to the Zambian border, and Lumbala N'guimbo further to the south. Both have strategically important runways. Humanitarian agencies in Zambia have warned that fresh military action aimed at Cazombo would result in an increase in refugees fleeing across the border.

De Matos is shifting his headquarters from Catumbela in Benguela Province to the Moxico provincial capital of Luena to direct the operations, news reports said. New HF communication facilities have been installed in the town, and new weapon consignments are being tested day and night. There are also plans to upgrade Luena's airport, reports said.

The FAA has increased the security radius to 25-30 km for humanitarian organisations working around Luena. However, landmine incidents have continued. In February, three accidents were reported in which two people died and one person was injured. In the first three weeks of March, there
were five incidents which killed two people and left five injured. At least two mines have been found in an area allocated by the local government for displaced people from Lunda-Sul Province.

Meanwhile, UNITA has not mentioned military action in Moxico for mid-March in its latest communique. Security sources told IRIN that prior to FAA's reorganisation in preparation for its new offensive, UNITA had received several setbacks in the province.