31 October - In what was described by Mozambique as an "invasion", Rhodesian troops crossed the border in two main areas, from north-eastern Rhodesia into Tete province, and from the south-east, close to the South African border into Gaza province. According to AIM, attacks began in the early morning of 31 October using tanks, mortars, cannons, fighter bombers, infantry and mounted infantry, and were repelled by the Mozambican armed forces. At least seven towns or centres are reported to have been attacked, at Chitanga and Chiqualaquala (formerly Malvernia) in Gaza province, and at Gentu, Nura, Chicombizi, Chioco and Changara in Tete. Changara, situated on the main Beira-Tete and formerly Salisbury-Blantyre road routes, is a base for regular Mozambican troops, while the others may have been used as guerilla transit camps. According to sources in Maputo, the attack on Gaza began with a Rhodesian artillery barrage against Mozambican positions outside the town of Chiqualaquala, using this as a decoy for infantry thrusts deeper into Mozambique. Railway and other communications were allegedly cut in an advance from Chiqualaquala to Mapai, 80 km inside the country. The Rhodesian forces, who are said to have included black and white troops from the Selous Scouts, the Special Air Service and the Rhodesian Light Infantry, penetrated altogether about 100 km, and "violent fighting" was reported to be still continuing on 1 November. According to a military communique issued by the Smith regime on 31 October, the raids were in retaliation for "unprovoked" Mozambican fire on the Vila Salazar border post in the south-east. Army spokesmen subsequently refused to confirm a casualty figure, beyond dismissing reports of up to 1,000 guerillas killed as "exaggerated". Eight tons of captured arms and equipment were brought back to Rhodesia, with a further 50 tons said to have been destroyed in situ.
2 November - Rhodesian troops, arriving at Mapai, attacked the village and railway station, where four railway coaches with passengers were waiting while the driver returned to Chiqualaquala to pick up refugees from the fighting. Witnesses said that five Rhodesian vehicles took up positions around the village, while three vehicles, carrying about 150 soldiers, attacked. The railway coaches and houses in the village were raked with machine-gun and bazooka fire, killing, according to some reports, 28 people and wounding 30. The only resistance came from seven railroad workers who were carrying arms as members of the Mozambique People's Militia. Two of them were killed. The invaders, most of whom were said to be black, but with a white Rhodesian commanding officer, sabotaged the railway line in 9 places and ripped up more than 2 km of track.
3 November - Two attacks mounted by Rhodesian forces in the early evening on the border village of Machipanda, opposite Umtali in Manica province. The bombardment, using mortar fire and heavy artillery, was allegedly in retaliation for a rocket attack on Umtali and the adjacent Forbes border post. Rhodesian fighter bombers were seen flying towards Mozambique shortly after four missiles had exploded with minimal damage in Umtali.
7 November - Maputo radio announced that Mozambican forces had now gained control over all three provinces attacked. Fighting had ceased in Gaza on 2 November but continued in Tete where 8 Mozambican soldiers, including two women, were killed. The total of civilians wounded was put at several hundred.
11 November - A mounted patrol of 8 or more white Rhodesian soldiers crossed the border in the early morning 3 miles north of Chiqualaquala, and attempted to blow up a passenger train by laying landmines. They were spotted by villagers and apprehended by a Mozambique patrol, who reportedly killed 5 of them. According to AIM a second attack, using heavy weapons and armoured cars, was launched on the same day about 20 km south of Chiqualaquala.
11-15 November - Rhodesian jets bombed 4 positions in the Mavue area of Gaza province. Paratroops and helicopter troops, supported by heavy artillery and infantry sent in over the border, attacked and occupied a military base at Mavue. Seven out of a total of 20 Rhodesian aircraft, were allegedly shot down over a 4 day period. 17 regular Mozambican troops were reported killed, 17 wounded and 19 missing during the fighting.
18-19 November - Rhodesian troops, supported by heavy artillery, armoured cars, paratroops, helicopters and bombers, attacked Pafuri in Gaza province in the early hours of 18 November. After an 8 hour battle, the Rhodesians retreated, and reinforcements were sent in over the border for a second attack launched early on 19 November. The fighting spread towards Chiqualaquala and involved, according to one report, one battalion of Frelimo troops numbering about 600 men, and two "reinforced" companies of Rhodesians, totalling about 400 men.
23-24 November - Rhodesian bomber planes, combat vehicles and infantry combined in an attack on the Chirara area, Vila Manica district. (On 24 November, a Rhodesian military communique confirmed for the first time that aircraft had been used against Mozambique in retaliation for heavy mortar and machine gun fire. No details of the raid were given).
2 December - Rhodesian attack lasting several hours in the Chiqualaquala area. Bombing from the air was supported by ground attacks using infantry and armoured cars. A Mozambican telecommunications centre was partially destroyed, a post office attacked and a fuel tank destroyed. An aircraft and 2 Rhodesian military vehicles were reported to have been destroyed, with one dead and one wounded on the Mozambican side.
10-16 December - A Rhodesian attack was launched late on the night of 10 December in the Caerezi locality of Guro district, Manica province. Fighting continued until 16 December, apparently with the aim of cutting the Beira-Tete road link. An attack on the Pafuri region using aircraft and heavy equipment on the morning of 11 December was finally repulsed the following day. In the course of this series of attacks a tropospheric communications station at Mount Chiluvo near Pafuri was destroyed and all telephone and telex links between Maputo and the rest of Mozambique cut off.
13-14 December - Rhodesian air attack on Caponda, between Mucumbura and Mague in Tete province, 30 km from the frontier.
16-17 December - Two attacks on the Chitanga area of Gaza province between Chiqualaquala and Mavue. Heavy artillery was used but there were no losses on the Mozambican side. In an attack in the early morning of 17 December on the Chirara area of Manica province, using two jets, a bomber, two helicopters, heavy artillery and infantry, 8 Mozambican civilians were killed and 10 wounded.
25 December - Rhodesian troops with air support invaded Gaza province and attacked the Chitanga area. The Rhodesians are alleged to have used napalm bombs, and fighting was reported to be still continuing on 29 December.
