There are 5,000 South African soldiers in Angola, occupying the towns of Kahama and Kassinga and controlling an airfield from which raids are launched deep into Angolan territory, an Algerian diplomat told a press conference in Paris in April. Mohamed Sahoun was the head of a UN delegation which had just visited five Frontline States, assessing the impact of South African aggression. Sahoun, who was attending a UN conference on Namibia, said the Angolan government had informed his delegation that South African and UNITA military actions had resulted in the deaths of about 10,000 people between 1975 and 1982 (WA 27.4.83).
The Angolan Ministry of Defence warned in late April of suspicious movements and build up of troops in Namibe province involving the South African forces occupying parts of southern Angola. The South African airforce had doubled its reconnaissance flights, using at least 21 planes. Nine SA aircraft had carried out a survey of the training camp of FAPLA's Second Brigade (BBC 27.4.83).
On 25 April, South African planes bombed Cuvelai in Cunene Province, wounding one person, and the Comucando area in Huila Province, wounding three, the Angolan news agency ANGOP reported. In the last days of April, SA aircraft penetrated more than 250 km into Angolan territory (BBC 13.5.83).
