Operation Snoopy

Operation Snoopy
Date 20 September 1978 Location Chimoio, Mozambique Result Rhodesian Victory
Belligerents
Rhodesia	ZIPRA Mozambique
Commanders and leaders
Ian Smith	Unknown Unknown
Units involved
Rhodesia Rhodesian Air Force Rhodesian Army Rhodesian Light Infantry Selous Scouts	: Unknown
Strength
: Unknown	: Unknown : 9 T-54/55 Main Battle Tanks 4 BTR-152 Armoured Personnel Carriers Unknown number of infantry
Casualties and losses
: 2 Killed	: Hundreds killed : Unknown 1 armoured vehicle

Operation Snoopy was an operation launched by Rhodesia in response to a civilian Viscount passenger plane being shot down by the communist backed insurgent group the ZANLA. The Operation took place in Mozambique where many of the ZANLA's camps were located, particularly in the area in and around Chimoio.

Background

After the Viscount passenger plane was shot down by the communist backed insurgents many Rhodesians clamoured for a massive retaliatory strike against terrorist targets in Zambia, since this was where a large number of the insurgents were based. However, the first external target hit by the Rhodesian Security Forces following the Viscount shootdown was the prominent cluster of ZANLA bases around Chimoio in Mozambique.

The Operation

The Rhodesians destroyed the ZANLA's camps in and around Chimoio through a combination of ground operations and air strikes by the Rhodesian Air Force. During the operation Mozambique sent armoured vehicles to ZANLA's aid in the form of nine Soviet-made T-54 tanks and four Russian BTR-152 armoured personnel carriers. However the Mozambicans were easily sent into a routed by the elite units of the Rhodesian Security Forces, who managed destroyed one of the Mozambicans armoured vehicles, and kill an unknown number of Mozambicans. According to official Rhodesian figures, "several hundred" guerrillas killed during Operation Snoopy, while the security forces lost only two soldiers, one of whom was accidentally killed by a friendly air strike.