User:Acntx/Shaba Invasions

The Shaba Invasions of Zaire occurred in 1977 and 1978.

Shaba I
On 8 March 1977 Katangan exiles based in Angola - known as the Congolese National Liberation Front (FLNC) invaded the Shaba (now Katanga) region. Within weeks the FLNC had captured several towns and controlled the railroad to a point thirty kilometers from the copper-mining town of Kolwezi. Shortly after the invasion began, the dissidents made it clear that they were not merely a reincarnation of the earlier Katangan secessionist movement, but instead aimed to take over the entire country and depose the government of President Mobutu Sese Seko.

Mobutu accused Angola, together with Cuba and the USSR, of supporting the rebels, a claim which each government denied.

After their initial success, the rebels stalled on their way to Kolwezi, but their rapid advance and the threat to Kolwezi forced Mobutu to appeal for international assistance. Belgium, France, and the United States responded to Mobutu's request by immediately airlifting military supplies to Zaire. Other African states also supported Zaire during this crisis, Morocco dispatched 1,500 troops in a French-supplied airlift. Pilots and mechanics were sent from Egypt.

With the help of Moroccan troops and French advisors the Zairian army was able to stop the advance of the exiles. On 14 April, a combined Zairian and Moroccan force counterattacked, reoccupying most of the towns and villages. The Moroccans completed their mission on 22 May and withdrew, as did the Egyptians on 25 May. On 26 May 1977, Zairian troops recaptured the last town held by the rebels in Shaba. In addition to the recapture of Shaba, the Moroccan presence during the conflict had the added benefit of permitting Mobutu to keep his elite airborne units in Kinshasa, ready to respond to a crisis elsewhere in the country.

The FLNC had expected a general uprising in support of its operation; however, because of the fragmentation of Zairian opposition groups, as well as the groups distinctive ethnic base (Lunda and Ndembu), this uprising failed to materialize.

Nevertheless, during what came to be known as the Eighty-Day War, the FLNC suffered no serious defeats, its troop strength had not diminished significantly, and its capability to conduct insurgent operations remained intact. The FLNC withdrew to Angola, and possibly to Zambia, and began to regroup for another attack.

Aftermath of Shaba I
The poor performance of Zaire's military during Shaba I gave evidence of chronic weaknesses. One problem was that some of the Zairian soldiers in the area had not received pay for extended periods. As a result, many soldiers simply deserted rather than fight. Others stayed with their units but were ineffective.

During the months following the Shaba invasion, Mobutu sought solutions to the military problems that had contributed to the army's dismal performance. He implemented sweeping reforms of the command structure, including wholesale firings of high-ranking officers. He merged the military general staff with his own presidential staff and appointed himself chief of staff, in addition to the positions of minister of defense and supreme commander that he already held. He re-deployed his forces throughout the country instead of keeping them close to Kinshasa, as had previously been the case. The Kamanyola Division, at the time considered the army's best unit and referred to as the president's own, was assigned permanently to Shaba. In addition to these changes, the army's strength was reduced by 25 percent. Also, Zaire's allies provided a large influx of military equipment, and Belgian, French, and American advisers assisted in rebuilding and retraining the force.