a total of 29 battalions. The brigade support units were composed almost entirely of specialists of the former Rhodesian Army, while unintegrated battalions of the Rhodesian African Rifles

Rhodesian African Rifles

The Rhodesian African Rifles, or RAR, was the oldest regiment in the Rhodesian Army, dating from the formation of the 1st Rhodesian Native Regiment in 1916 during the First World War. This was followed by the creation of the Matabeleland Native Regiment, and the 2nd Rhodesian Native Regiment,...

were assigned to the 1st, 3rd and 4th Brigades. A North Korean-trained 5th was formed in 1981 and was used in genocidal operations against Ndebele

Ndebele

- Ethnic groups :*South Ndebele people, located in the South Africa*Northern Ndebele people, located in Zimbabwe, and Botswana- Languages :*Southern Ndebele language, the language of the South Ndebele...

Modernday Matabeleland is a region in Zimbabwe divided into three provinces: Matabeleland North, Bulawayo and Matabeleland South. These provinces are in the west and south-west of Zimbabwe, between the Limpopo and Zambezi rivers. The region is named after its inhabitants, the Ndebele people...

.

The ZNA is under the command of Lieutenant General Philip Velario Sibanda, who took over from General Constantine Chiwenga

Constantine Chiwenga

- Personal life :He was born in 1956 in Hwedza district of Mashonaland East Province. General Chiwenga was educated up to Form 4 at St Mary's Mission in Hwedza, together with Air Marshal Perence Shiri and Brigadier General Shungu, Commander Mechanised Brigade....

following his elevation to the post of Commander Zimbabwe Defence Forces in December 2003.

Angola

After several hints , some of which the Zimbabwean Government denied, for the