REPORT: WORKING GROUP ON ANGOLA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-102-6-14-6
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: August 16, 2010
• Sequence Number: 14
• Publication Date: November 5, 1975
• Content Type: REPORT

No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/08/16: LOC-HAK-102-6-14-6
Copy #? o
REPORT: WORKING GROUP ON ANGOLA
ANGOLA WORKING
GROUP. PAPER No. 86
1. President Ngouabi of the Congo announced`on-Radio
Brazzaville on 3 November 'that he is mobilizing his army to
send it to defend Cabinda if Cabinda is.attacked by outsiders25X1
He announced that if foreign mercenaries.enteredCabinda "we
will all be engaged`in the fight-on the side of the'MPLA".
4.. While we cannot determine the exact size-of the potential
Congo military force which might confront.a FLEC/Zairian army
drive into Cabinda, the Congolese armed forces, including security
forces and police, are estimated-to number in excess of 11,000
men with more than 4,000 of these stationed in or around
Brazzaville. The effectiveness of the Congo forces over the
past few years should have improved through the procurement of
artillery, armored vehicles, and small arms from the Communist.STAT
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/08/16: LOC-HAK-102-6-14-6
 No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/08/16: LOC-HAK-102-6-14-6
with nine Soviet river assault.craft and four small Chinese
maintains one infantry company, one paracommando company, one
armored platoon, and one artillery company with supporting trans-'
port. and naval detachments at Pointe Noire, nearest the Cabinda
border. The Congo maintains a'200-man air force..with Soviet-
supplied transports and ten helicopters. It has a 120-man navy
countries, principally the USSR, but also East Germany. There
has been extensive technical training for Congolese military
personnel in the USSR, China, East Germany and Algeria. The
Congolese army is 5,000'strong,. has one paracommando battalion,
one infantry battalion, one.armored regiment, one artillery
regiment, one engineer battalion and one signal company.. It
is threatened by internal or-external forces. (Comment: This
assessment a year ago deemed it capable of coping only with
minor disorders within the country and not able to sustain any
offensive. action against its neighbors-unless greatly assisted
from external sources. DIA also reported that the Congo has a
mutual defense agreement with.Cuba in-the event that the Congo
5. As to the effectiveness~of the.Congo army, a DIA
patrol boats.
the Cubans recently landed to assist the NPLA were being sent to
Cabinda. Thus, the forces arrayed would seem to be considerable
FLEC/Zairian army force--as now seems most likely--the Congolese
would have the MPLA occupation troops as allies, and most
probably some Cuban assistance, in view of-reports that some of
6. Were the Congolese forces to invade Cabinda against a
latter report has not been elsewhere confirmed.)
on both sides.
No Objection to Declassification in Part 2010/08/16: LOC-HAK-102-6-14-6