A TOP Angolan military official was killed on Friday when an anti-tank landmine exploded, military sources said. Lieutenant-general Simione Mukune, whose troops helped seize control of central Angolan rebel stronghold Andulo, 700 kilometres southeast of the capital Luanda in September, died when the vehicle hit a landmine, the Angolan armed forces statement said. Government troops launched a major offensive on several fronts on September 14 to crush the rebel movement. A previous attempt to capture Andulo and Bailundo, another key rebel stronghold 600 kilometres southeast of Luanda, failed when the army was forced to retreat in March.