Timeline Mozambique

1974

25 April 1974

Portuguese colonial rule ends after a coup removes the government in Portugal

Thu, Apr 25 1974

28 Feb 1974 Negomano

AT 04h30 about 150 FRELIMO launch an attack on the base at Negomano, firing small arms fire, 82mm mortars, recoilless rifle and 122mm rockets at the barracks.

Thu, Feb 28 1974

23 Jan 1974 Inhaminga

FRELIMO attacks the Inhaminga barracks. The army fails to capture any of the attackers.

Wed, Jan 23 1974

3 Jan 1974 Inhaminga

FRELIMO attacks the water pump of the Inhaminga Administration.

Thu, Jan 3 1974
1973

08 Nov 1973 Beira-Tete

FRELIMO saboteurs successfully plant explosives along the strategic railway connecting the port of Beira to Tete. The explosion derails a freight train, killing the engineer and halting mineral supply lines for days

Thu, Nov 8 1973

17 Aug 1973 Inhaminga

A vehicle with DGS agents is shot at by FRELIMO 80 km south of Inhaminga.

Fri, Aug 17 1973

16 Aug 1973 Massandze

FRELIMO in Massandze attacks two army trucks with Portuguese soldiers, three Portuguese army soldiers are injured.

Thu, Aug 16 1973

23 Jul 1973 Incala River

In the northeast of the Niassa district, near the Incala River in the Serra da Mecula, at the intersection of the Candulo to Marrupa trail, a Berliet from MVL CCS/CArt3558/BArt3887 detonates four booby traps interconnected by a detonating cord, planted by FRELIMO, two seriously injured and 11 dead - Artillery Battalion 3887

Mon, Jul 23 1973

01 Mar 1973 Malewera

FRELIMO claims they attacked the Portuguese military and administrative post at Malewera, Tete Province.

Thu, Mar 1 1973

16 Feb 1973 Kaphiridzanje

FRELIMO claims they attacked the Portuguese military and administrative post at Kaphiridzanje near the border with Malawi, 4 houses, 6 tents and 1 tractor were destroyed and 7 of the enemy were killed.

Fri, Feb 16 1973

07 Jan 1973 Chipera

FRELIMO claims they attacked the Portuguese military and administrative post at Chipera, Marávia District of the Tete Province, claiming 9 enemy soldiers were killed and 3 vehicles destroyed.

Sun, Jan 7 1973

01 Jan 1973 Nangade

A section of 15 FRELIMO armed with 3 bazookas and a machine gun attacked the Nangade post at 9:00 p.m.

Mon, Jan 1 1973
1972

16 Dec 1972 Wiriyamu Massacre

Following a series of lethal FRELIMO ambushes in the Tete area, the Portuguese 6th Commando Company carries out a brutal counter-insurgency sweep through Wiriyamu village. Over 150 local civilians are killed under suspicion of harboring insurgents

Sat, Dec 16 1972

18 Sep 1972 Mueda

FRELIMO shoots down a Harvard T-6 during the Mueda attack.

Mon, Sep 18 1972
1971

4 Oct 1971 Massenguece Bridge

During the morning of Monday, October 4, 1971, a vehicle from the 3rd Company of the 14th Hunters Battalion (3rd/BCac14) of the Military Region of Mozambique (RMM), while carrying out a routine patrol on the route between the Marrupa barracks and the Metarica Island barracks, detonated a reinforced anti-tank mine, planted by the 'frelos' in the vicinity of the Massenguece Bridge,  - seven wounded and ten dead

Mon, Oct 4 1971

14 Jul 1971 Nangade

Operation "ORIENTE ORANGE" began, and was carried out in two phases: Operation "LIGHT ORANGE" , a resupply column from Nangade to Palma, and Operation "DARK ORANGE", transport of paratroopers from Nangade-Pundanhar and return to Nangade. This Operation was carried out by 2 combat groups from CCAÇ 3309 , and 1 Combat Group from CART 2745 and 1 Combat Group from CCAÇ Mocímboa da Praia.

Wed, Jul 14 1971
1970

21 Dec 1970 Nhantsitsi

A FRELIMO unit ambushed an enemy convoy on the road between Mague and Chicoa in the region of Chief Gossa, area of Nhantsitsi. One lorry was destroyed, 10 Portuguese soldiers were killed.

Mon, Dec 21 1970

27 Jun 1970 Marrupa

Retaliating against the ongoing offensive, a FRELIMO unit ambushes a Portuguese infantry patrol near Marrupa (Niassa), killing three soldiers with Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPGs)

Sat, Jun 27 1970

10 Jun 1970 Gordian Knot

Operation Gordian Knot / Base Central. As part of the massive Nó Górdio offensive, Portuguese paratroopers assault FRELIMO's primary stronghold, "Base Gungunhana." Intense close-quarters fighting results in 20 FRELIMO fighters killed and dozens captured

Wed, Jun 10 1970

6 Feb 1970 Cachulu

The military post of Cachulu was attacked by FRELIMO resulting in the destruction of two houses and many of the enemy killed (according to FRELIMO)

Fri, Feb 6 1970
1969

1 Sep 1969 Uncanha

FRELIMO guerrillas (artillery and infantry forces attacked an enemy camp in UNCANHA, in the area of Chief Mussendalua. Many tents were burned, material destroyed and 10 Portuguese soldiers killed. (according to FRELIMO)

Mon, Sep 1 1969

14 Aug 1969 Maniamba Base

Portuguese military unit 1st GC (Grupo de Combate) executed an operation (Operação Sagres 3) to destroy the Maniamba Base in the Lago District near the confluence of the Messinge and Nossi rivers, Niassa Province of northwestern Mozambique. During the deployment, a mine detonated under the rear wheel of the unit's second vehicle, a Berliet troop transport. The blast completely destroyed the vehicle and threw the occupants a considerable distance. The explosion resulted in three fatalities and 14 injuries, with four of the wounded listed in serious condition and immediately evacuated from the scene. Due to the heavy casualties, the operation was compromised and subsequently aborted.

Thu, Aug 14 1969

06 Aug 1969 Muera River Bridge - Diaca

Maconde Plateau, northeastern Mozambique: on the route between the Muera River Bridge and Diaca, an ambush launched by a group of FRELIMO near the so-called "curve of death" against a platoon of the 2422nd Hunter Company / 17th Independent Infantry Battalion (CCac2422/BII17) – a subunit that arrived in the RMM (Military Region of Mozambique) on August 27, 1968, and less than a month ago transferred by the 15th Hunter Battalion (BCac15) from Namapa to Diaca,  caused nine deaths and sixteen serious and minor injuries.

Wed, Aug 6 1969

3 Feb 1969

President of FRELIMO, Eduardo Chivambo Mondlane, was assassinated,

Mon, Feb 3 1969

5 Jan 1969 Mapé

7 members of  CCaç 2321 killed in an ambush in the Mapé mountains

Sun, Jan 5 1969
1968

28 Oct 1968

Frelimo attack on an Engineering Company Camp 2393 - Three dead, thirty-five injured , with all the vehicles and machinery of the Engineering Company damaged, 13 x 82mm mortars landed inside the camp

Mon, Oct 28 1968

20 Aug 1968 Mueda

FRELIMO forces deploy 82mm mortars to shell the vital Portuguese airbase at Mueda. The bombardment damages two Dornier Do 27 reconnaissance aircraft and kills one Portuguese airman

Tue, Aug 20 1968

11 Mar 1968 Nangade

A Portuguese Unimog patrol vehicle strikes a PMD-6 wooden anti-personnel mine near Nangade. The blast kills two soldiers instantly and severely wounds three others

Mon, Mar 11 1968
1967

17 Jul 1967 Diaca

FRELIMO insurgents ambush a Portuguese logistics convoy near Nazombe. Using automatic weapons and defensive trenches, they kill four Portuguese soldiers and destroy two Berliet trucks

Mon, Jul 17 1967
1965

10 Oct 1965 Olivença

FRELIMO units launch a mortar and small-arms assault on the isolated administrative post at Olivença in Niassa Province. The attack damages the barracks and kills two local civilian guards.

Sun, Oct 10 1965

22 Aug 1965 Maniamba

A Portuguese Caçadores (Light Infantry) platoon tracks and engages a 15-man FRELIMO supply column infiltrating from Niassa. Three insurgents are killed, and several Soviet-made firearms are captured.

Sun, Aug 22 1965
1964

25 Sep 1964 Chai, Cabo Delgado

Alberto-Joaquim Chipande leads a 12-man FRELIMO squad in an ambush against the administrative post at Chai, Cabo Delgado. One Portuguese policeman is killed, and two are wounded. This is the official start of the war.

Fri, Sep 25 1964