The Division was formed in 1974 and trained by North Korea. It was named after a June 1964 incident in the eastern town of Kamanyola. Troops led personally by Mobutu secured a strategic bridge near the town of Kamanyola.[1] In 1993 it consisted of the 11th Infantry Brigade, the 12th Infantry Brigade, and the 14th Infantry Brigade.[2] After the Shaba I incursion, the division, at the time considered the army's best formation, and considered the president's own, was assigned permanently to Shaba.
Zairian senior military officials, dissatisfied by the North Korean efforts, even asked in December 1975 that the U.S. to take over the Kamanyola Division, saying that "the North Koreans had left the Kamanyola poorly trained and without spares for the equipment they had provided." (1976KINSHASA00091_b)
As part of a second invasion by the former Katangan gendarmerie, known as Shaba II in May–June 1978, was only dispersed with the despatch of the French 2e régiment étranger de parachutistes and a battalion of the Belgian Paracommando Regiment. Kamanyola Division units collapsed almost immediately. French units fought the Battle of Kolwezi to recapture the town from the FLNC. The U.S. provided logistical assistance.[3]
In 1988 the CIA described the Kamanyola Division as located in Shaba and consisting of 4,100 personnel, with the 14th Brigade the only combat ready formation.[4]
The poor state of discipline of the Congolese forces became apparent again in 1990. Foreign military assistance to Zaire ceased following the end of the Cold War and Mobutu deliberately allowed the military's condition to deteriorate so that it did not threaten his hold on power.[5]
In 1993, according to the Library of Congress Country Studies,[3] the Kamanyola Division, consisting of three infantry brigades operated generally in western Shaba Region.
In 1997 Laurent Kabila dismantled the division.[6]
^Central Intelligence Agency, 'Zaire: The Military Under Mobutu (Deleted)', document created 1/11/1988, accessible via Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room, http://www.foia.cia.gov/. Retrieved 4 June 2010
^Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment—Central Africa. Issue 11—2002. Coulsdon: Jane's Information Group. p. 289.
kamanyola, division, infantry, division, forces, armées, zaïroises, armed, forces, zaire, 1974, active1974, 1997country, zairebranchforces, armées, zaïroisestypeinfantry, divisionsize4, 100garrison, hqshabahistory, editthe, division, formed, 1974, trained, nor. The Kamanyola Division was an infantry division of the Forces Armees Zairoises the armed forces of Zaire in 1974 97 Kamanyola DivisionActive1974 1997Country ZaireBranchForces Armees ZairoisesTypeInfantry divisionSize4 100Garrison HQShabaHistory EditThe Division was formed in 1974 and trained by North Korea It was named after a June 1964 incident in the eastern town of Kamanyola Troops led personally by Mobutu secured a strategic bridge near the town of Kamanyola 1 In 1993 it consisted of the 11th Infantry Brigade the 12th Infantry Brigade and the 14th Infantry Brigade 2 After the Shaba I incursion the division at the time considered the army s best formation and considered the president s own was assigned permanently to Shaba Zairian senior military officials dissatisfied by the North Korean efforts even asked in December 1975 that the U S to take over the Kamanyola Division saying that the North Koreans had left the Kamanyola poorly trained and without spares for the equipment they had provided 1976KINSHASA00091 b As part of a second invasion by the former Katangan gendarmerie known as Shaba II in May June 1978 was only dispersed with the despatch of the French 2e regiment etranger de parachutistes and a battalion of the Belgian Paracommando Regiment Kamanyola Division units collapsed almost immediately French units fought the Battle of Kolwezi to recapture the town from the FLNC The U S provided logistical assistance 3 In 1988 the CIA described the Kamanyola Division as located in Shaba and consisting of 4 100 personnel with the 14th Brigade the only combat ready formation 4 The poor state of discipline of the Congolese forces became apparent again in 1990 Foreign military assistance to Zaire ceased following the end of the Cold War and Mobutu deliberately allowed the military s condition to deteriorate so that it did not threaten his hold on power 5 In 1993 according to the Library of Congress Country Studies 3 the Kamanyola Division consisting of three infantry brigades operated generally in western Shaba Region In 1997 Laurent Kabila dismantled the division 6 References Edit Young and Turner 170 See Michela Wrong The Emperor Mobutu Transition Issues 81 amp 82 Volume 9 Number 1 and 2 2000 pp 92 112 a b Meditz amp Merrill 1993 sfn error no target CITEREFMeditzMerrill1993 help Central Intelligence Agency Zaire The Military Under Mobutu Deleted document created 1 11 1988 accessible via Freedom of Information Act Electronic Reading Room http www foia cia gov Retrieved 4 June 2010 Jane s Sentinel Security Assessment Central Africa Issue 11 2002 Coulsdon Jane s Information Group p 289 Historical Dictionary of the Congo Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kamanyola Division amp oldid 1026204632, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
