The Angolan rebel organisation Unita has played down the importance of the defection of one of its senior commanders to the government side. In the organisation's first public comment on the matter, Unita Secretary-General Paolo Lukamba Gato told the BBC that General Jacinto Bandua had been captured by government forces after Unita "withdrew" from its Andulo stronghold.He added that the general had been sidelined for several years.
Mr Gato also rejected the army's claims that it had destroyed most of Unita's equipment.
He said the government had not captured any significant military equipment such as tanks or anti-aircraft guns.
Long walk to surrender
On Wednesday, General Bandua told journalists he had tired of what he called Mr Savimbi's dictatorial ways, and said Unita's troop morale was low after successive defeats.
"You're free to do nothing," he said.
"You're a puppet, exposed to everything. I hate that system."
He said he had walked for 16 days to give himself up to government forces in Andulu on 10 November.
The general was for years one of Jonas Savimbi's closest aides, as well as the head of Unita's logistics unit.
'Savimbi in Angola'
General Bandua also insisted that the rebel leader was currently in the country.
Savimbi has no means to leave, General Bandua said - "other than his two feet". A Unita source in Luanda believes that the general's surrender will be having a major effect on rebel troops.
"It's a propaganda coup for the government," the source said.
"Unita men in the bush listen to state radio, they will have heard this."
The surrender has, according to correspondent Lara Pawson, added to the current upbeat mood of the government and other observers, who believe Mr Savimbi is increasingly isolated.