Operation Wallpaper

In mid 1985, the Angolan government formulated an offensive called Operation Congresso II. Led by Soviet and Cuban military advisors the plan called for a simultaneous attack on Cazombo in the east and Mavinga in the south-east and to take one or both objectives by 3 September. The objective of the operation was to split UNITA forces, forcing them to fight on two fronts and therefore weakening their defensive capability. The potential loss of Mavinga by UNITA could give FAPLA the opportunity to stage a further attack on UNITA's capital at Jamba. ==Order of battle==

South African forces Source: 32 Battalion • Three rifle companies • 81mm mortar group • Machine gun section • Assault Pioneer section • Three reconnaissance teams • Headquarters Two SA-9 teams MRL troop 61 Mechanised Infantry Battalion held in reserve in Namibia UNITA forces Source: 2,400 men including 250 men defending Mavinga Angolan forces Source: • 7th Brigade • 8th Brigade • 13th Brigade • 25th Brigade ==Battle==

The Angolan brigades left Cuito Cuanavale on 15 August, with the 8th and 13th following the main road to Mavinga via the town of Cunjamba and the 7th and 25th moving southwards following the Cunzumbia and Cuzizi rivers and having reached the Lomba river, flanking left and followed that river to an area north of Mavinga. By 2 October, the Angolan brigades were 10 km from Mavinga but had suffered heavy losses from UNITA attacks and the SADF MRLs. the Angolan brigades were ordered to retreat westwards and then to head for Cuito Cuanavale. By 4 October, 32 Battalion units began to withdraw. ==Vital air support==

The SAAF played a very important role in logistical support to the SADF Forces and UNITA against a coalition of Cuban and FAPLA troops moving in on Mavinga. The SAAF flew 310 night flying hours transporting mainly the Valkiri Multiple Launch Rocket System (MLRS) and their 127 mm rockets, ammunition and food; and performing Casualty Evacuation (Casevac) of wounded personnel. SAAF Lockheed C-130 Hercules, Transall C-160 and Douglas C-47 Skytrain aircraft were used. ==Aftermath==

It was realised by the South Africans at the end of the operation that it would be impossible for UNITA forces to stop a combined Angolan and Cuban force and that Mavinga would have fallen had it not been for the assistance of the SADF. The Angolan forces back in their base, began to rebuild while waiting for the rainy season to end and resume Operation Congresso II. The South African's suffered one soldier accidentally killed, while 500 UNITA soldiers died and 1500 wounded with other sources claiming dead and wounded to be as high as 2500. Angolan casualty figures range from 1589 to 2500 to as high as 4719 soldiers killed. Soviet casualties are listed as 10 dead and 9 wounded, while the Cubans lost 56 men and 60 wounded. ==References==