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DATE=11/17/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-241797
TITLE=ANGOLA / OFFENSIVE (L)
BYLINE=ALEX BELIDA
DATELINE=LUANDA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 
INTRO:  ANGOLAN GOVERNMENT TROOPS HAVE LAUNCHED AN OPERATION 
AIMED AT CAPTURING THE TRADITIONAL STRONGHOLDS OF THE UNITA REBEL
MOVEMENT IN THE COUNTRY'S CENTRAL HIGHLANDS.  V-O-A CORRESPONDENT
ALEX BELIDA REPORTS FROM THE ANGOLAN CAPITAL, LUANDA.
TEXT:  ANGOLAN MILITARY OFFICIALS SAY GOVERNMENT TROOPS HAVE 
ENCIRCLED THE AREA AROUND THE TOWNS OF ANDULO AND BAILUNDO, UNTIL
NOW THE HEADQUARTERS OF UNITA LEADER JONAS SAVIMBI.
FIGHTING HAS BEEN REPORTED AND WITNESSES SAY GOVERNMENT 
CASUALTIES HAVE BEEN TRANSPORTED TO THE HOSPITAL IN CUITO, ABOUT 
100 KILOMETERS TO THE SOUTHEAST.  NO  DETAILS ARE KNOWN ON THE 
SCALE OF THE FIGHTING OR THE NUMBER OF DEAD AND WOUNDED ON EITHER
SIDE.
INTELLIGENCE SOURCES SAY ANGOLA'S GOVERNMENT HOPES TO HAVE 
CONTROL OVER THE AREA WITHIN A MATTER OF DAYS.  HOWEVER, THESE 
SAME SOURCES SAY UNITA'S HIGH COMMAND, INCLUDING MR. SAVIMBI, 
APPEAR TO HAVE ALREADY FLED FURTHER EAST.
OTHER SOURCES FAMILIAR WITH PLANS FOR THE OPERATION SAY THE 
GOVERNMENT'S HOPE WAS TO MOUNT A SURPRISE ATTACK WITH THE AIM OF 
CAPTURING OR KILLING THE UNITA LEADERSHIP.  
THEY SAY AUTHORITIES IN LUANDA, THE ANGOLAN CAPITAL, BELIEVED 
THIS WOULD CAUSE ANY REMAINING UNITA RESISTANCE TO COLLAPSE.  
GOVERNMENT TROOPS WOULD THEN CONDUCT CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS IN 
UNITA-CONTROLLED AREAS TO THE EAST AND SOUTHEAST OF THE CENTRAL 
HIGHLANDS.
CONFIRMATION OF THE LONG-AWAITED OFFENSIVE CAME AFTER THE U-N 
WORLD FOOD PROGRAM REPORTED ONE OF ITS TRUCK CONVOYS WAS HALTED 
BY GOVERNMENT TROOPS WHILE TRAVELLING SUNDAY ON A KEY ROAD NEAR 
THE CITY OF HUAMBO IN THE CENTRAL HIGHLANDS.
U-N AUTHORITIES HAVE HAD  NO  OFFICIAL COMMENT ON THE SITUATION. 
HOWEVER, THERE ARE UNCONFIRMED REPORTS THAT U-N OFFICIALS WHO 
TRAVELLED OUT OF HUAMBO ON MONDAY TO CHECK ON THE BLOCKADE WERE 
FIRED AT -- POSSIBLY BY UNITA FORCES INVOLVED IN FIGHTING WITH 
GOVERNMENT TROOPS. 
EFFORTS TO REACH UNITA OFFICIALS BY SATELLITE TELEPHONE HAVE BEEN
UNSUCCESSFUL. 
THE GOVERNMENT IN LUANDA RECENTLY BROKE OFF ALL CONTACT WITH 
UNITA LEADER SAVIMBI, CALLING HIM A WAR CRIMINAL WHO HAS REFUSED 
TO HONOR HIS COMMITMENTS TO DEMILITARIZE THE REBEL MOVEMENT UNDER
THE TERMS OF ANGOLA'S 1994 PEACE AGREEMENT.  (SIGNED)
NEB/BEL/JWH
17-Nov-98 7:38 AM EST (1238 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.