Operation Daisy
Encyclopedia
Operation Daisy was a military operation
by the South African Defence Force
during the South African Border War
and Angolan Civil War
.
After the conclusion of Operation Protea
, a South-West Africa People's Organisation
(SWAPO) regional headquarters at Chitequeta, located at 16.7923°N 17.9315°W in south-eastern Angola
was attempting to regroup the scattered SWAPO members. As a result, the South African military decided to launch Operation Daisy against this town – some 240 kilometres north of the South-West Africa-Angola border.
After crossing the border and advancing north, a South African mechanized force of Ratel
Infantry Fighting Vehicle
s and Buffel
Armoured Personnel Carrier
s attacked the SWAPO base complex on 1 November 1981. During the attack seventy-one SWAPO members were killed. In spite of this, due to the immense size of the complex - about thirty-five square kilometres – most of the 1,200 SWAPO members at the base were able to escape into the bush.
Nevertheless the South African forces considered the operation to be a success as they had destroyed yet another SWAPO command and logistic base within three months of Operation Protea and had also captured a large quantity of arms and ammunition. The SWAPO membership was also further demoralised, as they had to move even further north into Angola.
For the South African forces, the attack on Chitequeta was their deepest penetration into Angola since the civil war six years before.
Military operation
Military operation is the coordinated military actions of a state in response to a developing situation. These actions are designed as a military plan to resolve the situation in the state's favor. Operations may be of combat or non-combat types, and are referred to by a code name for the purpose...
by the South African Defence Force
South African Defence Force
The South African Defence Force was the South African armed forces from 1957 until 1994. The former Union Defence Force was renamed to the South African Defence Force in the Defence Act of 1957...
during the South African Border War
South African Border War
The South African Border War, commonly referred to as the Angolan Bush War in South Africa, was a conflict that took place from 1966 to 1989 in South-West Africa and Angola between South Africa and its allied forces on the one side and the Angolan government, South-West Africa People's...
and Angolan Civil War
Angolan Civil War
The Angolan Civil War was a major civil conflict in the Southern African state of Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with some interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. Prior to this, a decolonisation conflict had taken...
.
After the conclusion of Operation Protea
Operation Protea
Operation Protea was a military operation during the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War in which South African Defence Forces destroyed a number SWAPO bases in Angola. During the operation, which took place from August 23 to September 4, 1981, up to 5,000 SADF soldiers occupied Cunene...
, a South-West Africa People's Organisation
South-West Africa People's Organisation
The South West Africa People's Organization is a political party and former liberation movement in Namibia. It has been the governing party in Namibia since achieving independence in 1990...
(SWAPO) regional headquarters at Chitequeta, located at 16.7923°N 17.9315°W in south-eastern Angola
Angola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
was attempting to regroup the scattered SWAPO members. As a result, the South African military decided to launch Operation Daisy against this town – some 240 kilometres north of the South-West Africa-Angola border.
After crossing the border and advancing north, a South African mechanized force of Ratel
Ratel IFV
The Ratel is the basic Infantry Fighting Vehicle of the South African National Defence Force's mechanized infantry battalions. Ratel is the Afrikaans name for the honey badger, which has a reputation as a ferocious fighter.-History:...
Infantry Fighting Vehicle
Infantry fighting vehicle
An infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them...
s and Buffel
Buffel
The Buffel is a mine-protected APC used by the South African Army during the South African Border War. The Buffel was also used as an armoured fighting vehicle and proved itself in this role...
Armoured Personnel Carrier
Armoured personnel carrier
An armoured personnel carrier is an armoured fighting vehicle designed to transport infantry to the battlefield.APCs are usually armed with only a machine gun although variants carry recoilless rifles, anti-tank guided missiles , or mortars...
s attacked the SWAPO base complex on 1 November 1981. During the attack seventy-one SWAPO members were killed. In spite of this, due to the immense size of the complex - about thirty-five square kilometres – most of the 1,200 SWAPO members at the base were able to escape into the bush.
Nevertheless the South African forces considered the operation to be a success as they had destroyed yet another SWAPO command and logistic base within three months of Operation Protea and had also captured a large quantity of arms and ammunition. The SWAPO membership was also further demoralised, as they had to move even further north into Angola.
For the South African forces, the attack on Chitequeta was their deepest penetration into Angola since the civil war six years before.