General information
Part of Conflict: DR Congo (Zaire): Government
Date of first stated goals of incompatibility: 1977-03-11
Comment on date of first stated goal of incompatibility: FLNC was formed in June 1968, the group consisted of ex-Katangan gendarms. On 11 March 1977 FLNC stated its goal to overthrow Mobutu´s regime and to form a government of national unity. In the same statement the group claimed responsibility for the attacks on the three townss Dilolo, Kasaji and Kapanga.
According to General Mbumba "Congo, our country must be an independent, socialist, and progressive country" in another statement they said that the aim was to "iberte the whole Congolese people from the Mobutu's autocratic rule and from exploitation".
Date of first use of armed force: 1977-03-08
Comment on date of first use of armed force: On 8 March 1977 FLNC invaded Zaire from Angola.
First Battle Related Death: 1977-03-08
Comment on First Battle Related Death: On 8 Mach 1977 the FLNC invaded Zaire from neighbouring Angola in the mining town of Kisenge one FNLC company killed one government soldier the FAZ squad leader charged with its defense.
Date when dyad reached 25 battle releated deaths: 1977-04-30
Comment on date when dyad reached 25 battle related deaths: On 8 March one FAZ squad leader charged with the defense of the mining town of Kisenge was killed. Another FAZ was killed on 10 March when two companies of the 2d Airborne Battalion moving from Kasaji to Divuma ran into an ambush near Malonga. On 13 March FLNC captured the town Kasaji, the group was bombed and they claimed to have shot down two planes and killed hundreds of Zairean troops. On 18 March the government army FAZ marched on Kasaji, they were ambushed and two of their men and 15 FNLC troops were killed. The fighting continued with a low level of deaths until the arrival of the Moroccan support on 9 April 1977. It is probable that the conflict caused more than 25 battle-related deaths in April 1977.
Conflict issues
Annual information
This section contains annual information systematically collected by the UCDP.
1977
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 25 |
| Best | 25 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): Government of Morocco, Government of Uganda
Side B (FLNC): n/a
1978
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 26 |
| Best | 26 |
| Low | 1 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): n/a
Side B (FLNC): n/a
2022
| Estimated Fatalities | |
|---|---|
| High | 0 |
| Best | 0 |
| Low | 0 |
Secondary Warring Support:
Side A (Government of DR Congo (Zaire)): n/a
Side B (FLNC): n/a
Dyad Archive
This section contains annual information no longer systematically collected by the UCDP.
1977 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: On 8 March 1977, the FLNC launched their military campaign from Angola with the objective of toppling the regime of President Mobutu. Within a week they seized the border towns, Dilolo, Kisenge, Kapanga and Kasaji and advanced inland. On 25 March, the Zairean army abandoned the significant town of Mutshatsha. The town was an infrastructural hub and the regional command head- quarters for western Shaba. On 7 April when FLNC was closing in on the mining town Kolwezi Morocco sent in troops to support Zaire. As the Moroccans and the Zaireans advanced on Mutshatsha on 25 April, FLNC withdrew without fighting. Zaire and Morocco recaptured all lost territories and FNLC was pushed back into Angola in May.
Negotiations: NO
Victory: NO
Terminated: NO
1978 Dyad Archive
Comment on Active: 11 May 1978 - 30 July 1978
Negotiations: NO
Victory: YES
Victorious side: A
Comment on Victory: FLNC was forced out of Zaire and fled over the Zambian and Angolan borders. Meanwhile the President of Angola promised to disarm the group. The FLNC fell apart, both as a political and a military organization.
Terminated: YES
Type of termination: Victory
Date of termination: 1978-06-15
Comment on Termination: FLNC was forced out of Zaire and fled over the Zambian and Angolan borders. Meanwhile the President of Angola promised to disarm the group. The FLNC fell apart, both as a political and a military organization.
2022 Dyad Archive
Terminated: NO
