NDF claims major victory against UNITA

The Namibian Defence Force (NDF) said it participated in a joint operation with the Angolan army that “dislodged” UNITA rebels from Mavinga, a strategic town deep inside Angola, ‘The Namibian’ reported on Thursday. Army Chief Major-General Martin Shalli was quoted as saying that the joint-operation was carried out last week in southern Angola’s Cuando Cubango Province, more than 200 km north of the Namibian border. “This is a major breakthrough when you consider that we have dislodged the rebel forces from Mavinga which even the Cuban forces failed (to do),” Shalli said. He declined to give the number of NDF soldiers who took part in the operation but said no Namibian casualties were recorded. UNITA is believed to use Mavinga airstrip as a supply line to the outside world.