Operation Safraan
| Operation Safraan | |
|---|---|
| Part of South African Border War | |
| Location | Zambia  Siabalengu Operation Safraan (Zambia)
|
| Target | Various PLAN bases |
| Date | March 1979 duration 5 weeks |
| |||||
Operation Safraan was a series of South African Defence Force raids from the Caprivi Strip area during the South African Border War. On August 23,1978 PLAN and the Zambian army shelled the small South African garrison town Katimo Mulilo in eastern Caprivi (Namibia). In March 1979, South African forces entered south-western Zambia attacking PLAN bases in retaliation for the shelling of Katimo Mulilo.[1] These bases were around Sinjembele and the Njinje forest,[2] were found to have been vacated but the facilities were destroyed disrupting future border infiltrations.[1] The raid into Zambia resulted in SWAPO being asked to leave the country.[2] Conducted on 7 March 1979 concurrently with Operation Rekstok; it followed Operation Reindeer and preceded Operation Sceptic.
The name means "saffron" in Afrikaans.
Further reading
- Steenkamp, Willem. South Africa's Border War 1966 - 1989. Ashanti Publishing, 1989.
- Hamann, Hilton. Days of the Generals. Zebra Press, 2001.
- Nothling, CD (Col.). Kort Kroniek van Militêre Operasies en Optredes in Suidwes-Afrika en Angola (1914-1988). Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 19, Nr 2, 1989.
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Steenkamp, Willem (1989). South Africa's Border War 1966 - 1989. p. 86.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Hamann, Hilton (2001). Days of the Generals. eBook. Chapter 4.
See also
| Preceded by Operation Reindeer |
Battles and operations of the South African Border War March 1979 |
Succeeded by Operation Sceptic |