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Operation Karton
Operation Karton
Operation Karton was a secret military operation during August 1983 by the South African Defence Force (SADF)
during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War.
18.1 Background
Cangamba is an Angolan town in the province of Moxico. It was garrisoned by FAPLA’s 32 Brigade and forty to
sixty Cuban instructors and due to the conditions of the roads in the region, was supplied by air from Menongue.[1]:166
During late July, UNITA had briefly raided the town but FAPLA failed to strengthen its defences.[1]:167 UNITA sought
the help of the SADF for mortar and artillery training as well as fire support in the next attack against Cangamba.[2]:Ch8
A SADF artillery team was formed and flown to a secret special forces base in the Caprivi where they met to train
the UNITA artillerymen in captured Soviet 120 mm mortars and 76 mm artillery before moving northwards into
Angola.[2]:Ch8
18.2 Battle
UNITA attacked on 1 August with between 3000 and 6000 soldiers with the SADF team assisting the next day
with artillery observation.[1]:167 The FAPLA troops in Cangamba called for reinforcements which were assembled in
Huambo, Menongue and Lubango but would take a week to cross UNITA territory to reach the garrison.[1]:167 The
FAPLA garrison was bombarded by UNITA artillery for three days before attempting frontal assaults which incurred
high casualties.[1]:167 UNITA then resorted to digging trenches driving them closer to the Angolan positions.[1]:167
The UNITA artillery attack continued and by the 7 August the FAPLA and Cuban troops were short of ammuni-
tion and water.[1]:168 By this time the UNITA troops were being subjected to FAPLA/Cuban air attacks and took
casualties.[1]:168 On the 10 August, the FAPLA relief columns arrived covered by a FAPLA/Cuban air strike on
UNITA positions.[1]:168 The Cuban troop were said to be airlifted out while garrison and relief columns had to fight
their way out.[1]:169 Two days after the relief columns arrived, the South African Air Force (SAAF) was called in
on 12 August to assist UNITA.[1]:169 Canberra bombers and Impala aircraft were used to flatten the town and by 14
August the battle was over.[1]:168
18.3 Aftermath
UNITA was said to have lost 1100 soldiers and possibly the same amount wounded while the FAPLA forces lost
several hundred men and 20 Cubans.[1]:169
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CHAPTER 18. OPERATION KARTON
18.4 Further reading
• George, Edward (2005). The Cuban intervention in Angola : 1965-1991 : from Che Guevara to Cuito Cuanavale
(1. Publ. Ed.). London [u.a.]: Frank Cass. ISBN 0415350158.
• Wilsworth, Clive (2010). First in, last out : the South African artillery in action 1975-1988. Johannesburg: 30
South. ISBN 978-1920143404.
18.5 References
[1] George, Edward (2005). The Cuban intervention in Angola : 1965-1991 : from Che Guevara to Cuito Cuanavale (1. Publ.
Ed.). London [u.a.]: Frank Cass. ISBN 0415350158.
[2] Wilsworth, Clive (2010). First in, last out : the South African artillery in action 1975-1988. Johannesburg: 30 ̊South. ISBN
978-1920143404.