Angola: Separatist group claims attack in Cabinda

Event

The Armed Force of Cabinda (FAC), the militant wing of the separatist Cabinda State Liberation Front (FLEC), has claimed its first attack of 2018 targeting the Angolan Armed Forces (FAA). In a statement released on Saturday, March 31, the FAC said its forces were responsible for killing four FAA soldiers in the Necuto region of Cabinda province. The group also stated that it is still willing to hold talks with the government to end the conflict in Cabinda.

Context

Cabinda is separated geographically from the rest of Angola by a small section of the DRC and shares a border with the Republic of the Congo. Various separatist groups, including the FLEC, were formed in the early 1960s and have since been fighting a low-intensity war, first with Portuguese colonists and later the Angolan state, for Cabindan independence.

Advice

Western authorities generally advise against travel to Cabinda province as well as nonessential travel to Lunda Norte and Lunda Sul provinces due to security concerns. Travel should only be considered with appropriate security protocols in place. Due to the threat of kidnapping, those present in Angola more generally are advised to keep a low profile and to report any suspicious objects or behavior to the authorities.