The World - News from April 19, 1988

Gen. Jannie Geldenhuys, chief of the South African armed forces, in his first detailed statement on South African involvement in Angola’s civil war, said South Africa has never had more than 3,000 South African troops in Angola in the past year. He accused Angola, which says Pretoria has 9,000 military personnel there, of exaggeration. The South Africans are helping rebels of the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola fight the Angolan government, which is backed by about 40,000 Cuban troops. Geldenhuys said South African losses since last May were 31 dead.