Battle of Kolwezi

Mortar of the 2 REP in action

Date	18–22 May 1978
Location	Kolwezi, Zaire
Result	Zaire-coalition victory

Belligerents

Zaire

France

Belgium

United States

Front for the National Liberation of the Congo (FNLC)

Commanders and leaders

Philippe Erulin

Nathaniel Mbumba

Strength

2,500

600

1,180

5 aircraft

Unknown

Casualties and losses

120 killed or missing

11 killed or missing; 25 wounded

1 killed

1 aircraft slightly damaged
Total: 165 dead, missing or wounded.

~250–400 killed; 160 captured

The Battle of Kolwezi was an airborne operation by French and Belgian airborne forces that took place in May 1978 in Zaire during the Shaba II invasion of Zaire by the Front for the National Liberation of the Congo (FNLC). It aimed at rescuing European and Zairian hostages held by FNLC rebels after they conquered the city of Kolwezi. The operation succeeded with the liberation of the hostages and light military casualties.

The city of Kolwezi is situated in the ore-rich region of Shaba (now Katanga), in the South-East of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo). In 1978, the city held 100,000 inhabitants in a 40 km² urban area, with city quarters separated by hills. It is a strategic spot, as it lies on important roads and railroad lines that link Lubumbashi to Dilolo. There is an airport 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) from the centre of the city.

In March 1978, a meeting took place between Algerian and Angolan officials and militants of the FNLC. Zairian intelligence was made aware of a possible destabilisation operation in the Shaba region, which had a high value because of its mines of precious materials like copper, cobalt, uranium and radium. For some months the Soviet Union had been purchasing all the cobalt available on the free market, but western intelligence did not connect this to the upcoming crisis. The FNLC operation was to be headed by Nathaniel Mbumba, assisted by officers from the Communist states of Cuba and the German Democratic Republic.

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