Operation Miracle (Rhodesia)

Operation Miracle (or the Battle of Mavonde)
Part of the Rhodesian Bush War (or Second Chimurenga)
Eland-90 armoured cars of the Rhodesian Armoured Corps.
Date 27 September-6 October 1979 Location Chimoio Circle, People's Republic of Mozambique Result Disputed; both sides claims victory.
Belligerents
Zimbabwe Rhodesia	ZANLA FRELIMO
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Gen Peter Walls Lt. Col Ron Reid-Daly Capt. Richard Passaportis Gp Cap. Norman Walsh	Solomon Mujuru Paradzai Zimondi Josiah Tungamirai
Units involved
Rhodesian Army Selous Scouts RLI RAC Rhodesian SAS RhAF No.1 Squadron No.5 Squadron	Mavonde base
Strength
100 Selous Scouts 100 RLI 6 Eland Mk 6 Armoured cars 20 Unimogs 1 (Pig) Armoured Command car 4 Canberras 4 Hawker Hunters 4 Alouette III (1 K-Car) (3 G-Cars) several Impala (ZANLA claims)	6,000 4 tanks 2 FNLM Katyusha rocket launchers
Casualties and losses
8 killed 3 wounded 1 Canberra and 1 Hawker Hunter shot down 1 Alouette III crashed	ZANLA: ~300 Frelimo: 1 tank destroyed (Rhodesian claim)

Operation Miracle or the Battle of Mavonde was a military raid in 1979 by the Rhodesian Security Forces (RSF) against ZANLA guerrilla bases in Mozambique towards the end of the Rhodesian Bush War. ZANLA put up stiff resistance although at the cost of many losses with as many as hundreds dead, the tactical success of the RSF did not lead to the expected strategic changes, but did result in a decisive tactical victory with few losses.