The 2001 Angola train attack was an attack during the Angolan Civil War when on 10 August 2001

UNITA The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola ( pt, União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola, abbr. UNITA) is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought alongside the Popular Movement for ...

forces derailed a train travelling between towns of Zenza and Dondo with an anti-tank mine and then attacked the passengers with small arms fire.

History

The Angolan Civil War had been going on since 1975 and was a legacy of the

cold war The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

. As part of its ongoing efforts to overthrow the government, the 2001 Angola train attack occurred on 10 August 2001 when a passenger train in Angola hit an

anti-tank mine An anti-tank mine (abbreviated to "AT mine") is a type of land mine designed to damage or destroy vehicles including tanks and armored fighting vehicles. Compared to anti-personnel mines, anti-tank mines typically have a much larger explosive c ...

placed on the track by

National Union for the Total Independence of Angola The National Union for the Total Independence of Angola ( pt, União Nacional para a Independência Total de Angola, abbr. UNITA) is the second-largest political party in Angola. Founded in 1966, UNITA fought alongside the Popular Movement for ...

(UNITA) rebels. After its derailment, rebels attacked the passengers with gunfire, killing around 250 people of the 500 who were on the train. The attack took place about south-east of the capital,

Luanda Luanda () is the capital and largest city in Angola. It is Angola's primary port, and its major industrial, cultural and urban centre. Located on Angola's northern Atlantic coast, Luanda is Angola's administrative centre, its chief seaport ...

. On 16 August 2001, members of the

United Nations Security Council The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is one of the Organs of the United Nations, six principal organs of the United Nations (UN) and is charged with ensuring international security, international peace and security, recommending the admi ...

strongly condemned the attack, calling it a "terrorist attack". On August 13, UNITA took responsibility for the attack.

References

;Notes ;Bibliography * - Total pages: 922 * - Total pages: 2941 * August 2001 crimes Attacks in Africa in 2001 Mass murder in 2001 Terrorist incidents in Africa in 2001 Train wrecks caused by sabotage 2001 in Angola Railway accidents and incidents in Angola Railway accidents in 2001 Terrorist incidents in Angola Derailments in Africa Massacres in 2001 August 2001 events in Africa 2001 crimes in Angola 2001 disasters in Angola {{Terrorism-stub

History

See also

References