| Salisbury fuel depot attack | |
|---|---|
| Part of Rhodesian Bush War | |
| Type | RPG attack |
| Location | Salisbury, Rhodesia |
| Target | BP Shell fuel depot |
| Date | 11 December 1978 11:00pm |
| Executed by |  ZANLA |
| Outcome |
|
| Casualties | 0 killed Unknown injured |
| Rhodesian Bush War | |
|---|---|
First Phase (1964–1972)
Second Phase (1972–1979)
Related incidents |
The Salisbury fuel depot attack was a raid on the fuel depot in Salisbury's Southerton industrial area on December 11, 1978, during the Rhodesian Bush War. It was claimed by both ZIPRA and ZANLA groups. The attack resulted in millions of dollars’ worth of damages and the destruction of more than a quarter of Rhodesia's fuel.
Attack
On the night of 11 December 1978, a unit penetrated the outskirts of Salisbury (now Harare) and fired a volley of rockets and incendiary device rounds into the main oil storage depot. The storage tanks burned for five days, giving off a column of smoke that could be seen 130 km (80 mi) away. The fire destroyed 22 of the 28 giant storage tanks and wiped out about 17 million gallons of fuel, a quarter of Rhodesia's fuel reserves. After surveying the burnt out ruins, Ian Smith described the sabotage as being the one of Rhodesia's biggest setbacks since the war began.
References
- "Who Bombed Salisbury Fuel Tanks: ZANLA Or ZIPRA? - The Citizen Bulletin". www.thecitizenbulletin.com. Retrieved 29 May 2023.
- "The Fragility of Domestic Energy". Archived from the original on 17 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2015.
- Journal of Southern African Affairs. Kings Court Communications. 1980. p. 33.