Operation Phoenix (South Africa)
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| Operation Phoenix | |
|---|---|
| Part of the South African Border War | |
| Location | Namibia Tsumeb Grootfontein Windhoek Rundu Oshakati Eenhana Otjiwarongo Operation Phoenix (South Africa) (Namibia) |
| Objective | SADF forces hunt a large incursion of PLAN fighters into the farmlands of northern South West Africa. |
| Date | 15 February – 15 April 1983 |
Operation Phoenix was an operation in 1983 by the South African Defence Force and South West African Territorial Force in response to a major incursion by PLAN fighters from Angola into the white farming areas of northern South West Africa.
SWAPO's military wing PLAN had created a specialised infiltration unit called Volcano. Members of this unit had spent the second half of 1982 receiving training from East German, Cuban and Russian instructors and were regarded as best PLAN soldiers.[1]: 107 By January 1983, 1000 to 1700 members of Volcano began the journey south to the Angolan/South West Africa border.[1]: 107 [2]: 200 They were then formed into fourteen companies of 50 to 70 soldiers. The mission was for thirteen of those companies, to cross the border and engage the SWATF and SADF forces while the last company would not engage those forces but instead head southwards to the white farming areas of northern South West Africa.[1]: 107