Selous Scouts’ Op Long John with Andy Balaam

Former Rhodesian Selous Scout Andy Balaam returns to Underground Strategy to break down Operation Long John, one of the most significant cross-border raids into Mozambique during the Bush War.

With ZANLA gaining unrestricted access to Mozambique after the Portuguese withdrawal in 1975, Rhodesian forces had to act fast. Andy shares firsthand insights into the intelligence failures, reconnaissance missions, and high-stakes direct action operations that shaped this mission.

From snatch-and-grab operations to the cancelled plan to hijack a diesel train into Maputo, this episode explores the chaotic planning, brutal realities, and high-risk tactics of Rhodesian counterinsurgency. Andy also discusses his books—Bush War Operator, The Further Operations of a Bush War Operator, and Skuzapo—offering unfiltered accounts of the conflict.

Andy's Work

Bush War Operator - https://amzn.to/4gLOToJ

Further Memoirs of a Bush War Operator - https://amzn.to/3CYQcmo

Skuzapo: The Untold Story - https://amzn.to/430ijfx

More from Underground Strategy

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