Angola builds up forces

Press, 9 November 1978, Page 8

Angola builds up forces

NZPA-Reuter London

Angola has said that South Africa is preparing an attack against it as a challenge to Western independence plans for neighbouring Namibia (South-West. Africa).

Earlier, Angola announced it had mobilised its forces and alerted its people to defend the country against an expected South African attack.

A dispatch from the official Angolan news agency, Angop, received by Reuters said President Agostinho Neto had imposed a curfew in wide areas of southern Angola following repeated violations of Angolan air. space in recent weeks by South African reconnaissance craft.

In Johannesburg, informed sources have said that South Africa is strengthening its forces in the north of Namibia in the face of the military build-up across the border in Angola.

Official information on ! troop movements is strictly I classified, but the sources ; indicated that significant reinforcements were being moved into the territory, spotlight of a dispute be- ! tween South Africa, which (has ruled it since 1915, and ■ the United Nations, which has revoked South Africa’s mandate from the old league of nations. Other senior sources earlier disclosed that South African intelligence reports indicated that several hundred East German troops have encamped in southern Angola less than 80km from the border with Namibia.

They were reported to include paratroops. Part, of their mission might be to train guerrillas of the SouthWest Africa People’s Organisation, in parachute techniques, the sources said. ! In Washington, the State Department has said that the United States, British, and Canadian authorities have begun investigating allegations of arms being shipped from an American firm to South Africa in defiance of a United Nations embargo. The firm, Space Research Corporation, has its headquarters in Montreal and occupies a 4000 ha research area straddling Canada’s Quebec province and the American state of Vermont. It- labelled as “absolutely untrue” reports that it had been involved in shipment of artillery shells to South Africa.

A British Broadcasting Corporation news report earlier said 40,000 special long-range 155 mm shells and guns, radar, and other equipment were sent to South Africa by S.R.C. Among them, it said, were the 13,000 casings sent via Spain.