/ 3 March 1999

MALANJE STILL SHELLED

ANGOLA’S Unita rebels kept up their five-day bombardment of the key government-held city of Malanje on Tuesday, but regional analysts said the rebel movement was unlikely to try to capture the city. The rebels have had the city under siege since January but in the past five days have tightened their grip, increasing heavy shell bombardments and pulling units up from the south to cut off government attempts to reinforce positions. “They (Unita) might be remobilising for an attack on Malanje, but it would be contrary to the way they normally handle such situations,” Jakkie Potgieter, senior analyst at South Africa’s Institute for Security Studies, said.