“Intense” fighting reported

“Intense” fighting has broken out between Angolan UNITA rebels and the army in the northern part of the country, news reports said on Tuesday. UNITA forces reportedly took control of the town of Quiculungo, 250 km east of Luanda, which has allegedly changed the balance of power in Kwanza-Norte Province which had been tilting in the government’s favour.

Meanwhile, in the coastal province of Benguela, hundreds of truck drivers honked their horns for 30 minutes in protest at the death of two drivers in a 15 November ambush by suspected UNITA rebels, Radio Ecclesia reported.
The two men were shot dead by unidentified gunmen last week in Uchi, a town 10 km from Benguela city. “We want to ask the men who govern this country to have some sensitivity and to put an end to the people’s suffering,” truck driver Alberto Lange told the radio.

State radio on Monday broadcast a statement by military commander General Joao Baptista de Matos in Benguela alleging that UNITA’s military threat was fading. “Contrary to what one might think, the trend does not show an increase in guerrilla activity, but a decline. A few incidents might have taken place in key areas over the past few days, and this has worried people somewhat. Yet, we believe that this type of activity does not necessarily reflect an increase in combat preparedness of Jonas Savimbi’s forces,” he said.