Uige under UNITA threat

UNITA rebels are closing in on the northern Angolan town of Uige, Reuters reported aid agency officials as saying on Thursday. “Two UNITA groups were seen last Thursday approaching Uige city from the east and west,” an aid worker said. A security perimeter of about 15 km exists around Uige, a former UNITA stronghold, and most aid agencies are confining themselves to the city. Seventeen foreigners and 16 non-local Angolans working in Uige were preparing to relocate if a major skirmish developed, Reuters reported.

UNITA has an estimated 5,500 troops in the five northwest provinces. The Angolan Armed Forces (FAA) have about as many troops in Uige city alone, a source said. After a lull of several weeks, rebels were expected to use the final two or so weeks of the rainy season to launch a final major attack on the city under cover of dense bush, the sources said. More than 30 rebels attacked Uige on 26 March, taking over an FAA position, shelling the airport and damaging fuel tanks. UNITA ambushed a police truck on 17 March in nearby Negage killing three and wounding 16. In February rebels crept into a Uige neigbourhood and shelled the city, killing seven and wounding 46.

More than a year ago UNITA controlled about half of Uige province. But last year government troops sliced rebel activity into five pockets. The largest rebel group may attempt to crack through a no-man’s land and strike Uige city from the northeast, the source said. A government amnesty programme in 2000 netted almost 90 percent of its surrenders in Uige: 1,600 of 1,800. So far this year 275 rebels have surrendered in Uige, an area that was held by the rebels between 1992 to 1994. The 1994 Lusaka peace accord broke down with renewed fighting in 1998.