Battle of Sinoia

Battle of Sinoia
Part of the Rhodesian Bush War
Battle of Sinoia is located in Zimbabwe
Sinoia
Sinoia
Battle of Sinoia (Zimbabwe)
Date28 April 1966[1]
Location17°21′24″S 30°16′28″E / 17.356619°S 30.274358°E / -17.356619; 30.274358
Result Rhodesian victory
Belligerents
 Rhodesia ZANLA (ZANU)
Commanders and leaders
Rhodesia Frank Barfoot Simon Chimbodza 
Units involved
BSAP[1]
RRAF
unknown
Strength
40 police
4 helicopters
7[1]
Casualties and losses
None 7 killed[1]

The Battle of Sinoia, also known as the Battle of Chinhoyi was a small military engagement fought near Sinoia (modern-day Chinhoyi) between a small unit of Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) guerrillas and the Rhodesian police force on 28 April 1966. The skirmish is generally considered the opening engagement of the Rhodesian Bush War (Second Chimurenga)[2] A team of seven ZANLA cadres engaged with British South Africa Police forces near the northern town of Sinoia. The seven guerrillas all eventually died in the battle, the police killing all seven.

  1. ^ a b c d Sibanda, Eliakim M. (January 2005). The Zimbabwe African People's Union 1961–87: A Political History of Insurgency in Southern Rhodesia. Trenton, New Jersey: Africa Research & Publications. p. 104. ISBN 978-1-59221-276-7.
  2. ^ Stearns, Peter N., ed. (January 2002). The Encyclopedia of World History: Ancient, Medieval and Modern – Chronologically Arranged (Sixth ed.). Cambridge: James Clarke & Co. p. 1069. ISBN 978-0-227-67968-5.