# Operation Saffraan

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> License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)

{{Use South African English|date=May 2026}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{operational plan
| name        = Operation Saffraan
| partof      = the [South African Border War](/source/South_African_Border_War)
| image       = 
| caption     = 
| scope       =
| type        =
| location    = Zambia
| coordinates = 
{{Location map many | Zambia
| width = 260
| float = right
| label = Siabalengu
  | pos = top
  | marksize = 6
  | lat_deg = -17.433333
  | lon_deg = 25.633333
}}

| planned     = 
| planned_by  = 
| objective   = 
| target      = Various PLAN bases
| date        = March 1979
| time        = duration 5 weeks
| time-begin  =
| time-end    =
| timezone    =
| executed_by = 
| outcome     = 
| casualties  = 
| fatalities  =
| injuries    =
}}

{{Campaignbox South African Border War}}

'''Operation Saffraan''' ({{langx|en|Operation Safron}}) was a series of [South African Defence Force](/source/South_African_Defence_Force) raids from the [Caprivi Strip](/source/Caprivi_Strip) area during the [South African Border War](/source/South_African_Border_War). On 23 August 1978 [PLAN](/source/People's_Liberation_Army_of_Namibia) and the Zambian army shelled the small South African garrison town Katimo Mulilo in eastern Caprivi (Namibia). In March 1979, South African forces entered south-western [Zambia](/source/Zambia) attacking [PLAN](/source/People's_Liberation_Army_of_Namibia) bases in retaliation for the shelling of Katimo Mulilo.<ref name=Steenkamp>{{cite book|last=Steenkamp|first=Willem|title=South Africa's border war, 1966-1989|year=1989|publisher=Ashanti Pub.|location=Gibraltar|isbn=0620139676}}</ref>{{rp|86}} These bases were around Sinjembele and the Njinje forest,<ref name="Hamann">{{cite book|last=Hamann|first=Hilton|title=Days Of The Generals: The Untold Story of South Africas Apartheid-era Military Generals|year=2007|publisher=Struik Publishers|isbn=978-1868723409}}</ref>{{rp|Chpt4}} were found to have been vacated but the facilities were destroyed disrupting future border infiltrations.<ref name=Steenkamp/>{{rp|86}} The raid into Zambia resulted in [SWAPO](/source/SWAPO) being asked to leave the country.<ref name=Hamann/>{{rp|Chpt4}} Conducted on 7 March 1979 concurrently with [Operation Rekstok](/source/Operation_Rekstok); it followed [Operation Reindeer](/source/Operation_Reindeer) and preceded [Operation Sceptic](/source/Operation_Sceptic).

==See also==
*[Angolan Civil War](/source/Angolan_Civil_War)

==References==
<references />

==Further reading==
* {{cite book|last=Steenkamp|first=Willem|title=South Africa's border war, 1966-1989|year=1989|publisher=Ashanti Pub.|location=Gibraltar|isbn=0620139676}}
* {{cite book|last=Hamann|first=Hilton|title=Days of the generals|year=2001|publisher=Zebra|location=Cape Town|isbn=978-1868723409|edition=1st}}
* Nothling, CD (Col.). ''Kort Kroniek van Militêre Operasies en Optredes in Suidwes-Afrika en Angola (1914-1988)''. Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies, Vol 19, Nr 2, 1989.

{{coord missing|Zambia}}

{{S-start}}
{{Succession box
| before = [Operation Reindeer](/source/Operation_Reindeer)
| title  = [Battles and operations of the South African Border War](/source/List_of_operations_of_the_South_African_Border_War)
| years  = March 1979
| after  = [Operation Sceptic](/source/Operation_Sceptic)
}}
{{s-end}}

{{South African Border War}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saffraan, Operation}}
Category:Conflicts in 1979
Category:1979 in Angola
Category:1979 in South West Africa
Category:1979 in South Africa
Category:Cross-border operations of South Africa
Category:Battles and operations of the South African Border War

{{Angola-stub}}
{{Namibia-stub}}
{{SouthAfrica-mil-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Operation Saffraan](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Saffraan) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Saffraan?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.