JOHANNESBURG, 27 March (IRIN) -
Angolan President Jose Eduardo dos Santos said at the weekend that his
country's armed forces (FAA) had temporarily suspended operations against
Jonas Savimbi's UNITA rebels following what he called the destruction of
the rebel movement's conventional capabilities.
Speaking on Angolan television, Dos
Santos said the military situation is under the FAA's control and they
are taking advantage of this period to adapt the army's fighting methods
against UNITA. "There has been a favourable improvement in the government's
forces, especially in areas where there are heightened conflicts,"
said Dos Santos.
Dos Santos added: "We are adapting our forces and methods to correspond with the new type of guerrilla warfare which is being exercised all over Angola. I am convinced that once this adaptation process is over, the area in which guerrilla warfare is practised will be limited and we will gain control of all the frontiers."
Dos Santos was speaking after a meeting with Xanana Gusmao, chairman of the Timorese National Resistance Council (CNRT). Gusmao was on a four-hour visit to Angola, from where he left for Mozambique as part of a tour which took him first to Portugal and will end in Brazil.
[ENDS]
IRIN-SA - Tel: +2711 880 4633
Fax: +2711 880 1421
e-mail: irin-sa@irin.org.za
[This item is delivered in the English service of the UN's IRIN humanitarian information unit, but may not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations. For further information, free subscriptions, or to change your keywords, contact e-mail: irin@ocha.unon.org or Web: http://www.reliefweb.int/IRIN . If you re-print, copy, archive or re-post this item, please retain this credit and disclaimer.]
Copyright (c) UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2000