List of wars involving Zimbabwe

This is a list of wars involving the Republic of Zimbabwe.

Conflict	Zimbabwe and allies	Opponents	Results
Rhodesian Bush War (1964–1979)	ZANU (ZANLA)^[1] ZAPU (ZIPRA) Mozambique^[2] ANC (MK)^[2] Zambia^[3]	Rhodesia (1964–1979) Zimbabwe Rhodesia (1979) Portugal (1964–1974)^[a] South Africa (from 1967)^[4]	Stalemate^[5] Lancaster House Agreement End to armed hostilities Free elections with ZANU and ZAPU participation Formation of Zimbabwe Rhodesia disestablished; Zimbabwe gains internationally recognised independence in its place.
Entumbane I (1980)	Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Defence Forces Zimbabwe Republic Police	ZIPRA elements ZANLA elements	Government victory Uprising put down.
Entumbane II (1981)	Zimbabwe	ZIPRA elements ZANLA elements	Government victory Uprising put down
Mozambican Civil War (1977–1992)	Mozambique (People's Republic until 1990) FRELIMO ZANU (until 1979) Zimbabwe (from 1980) Tanzania Malawi (from 1987)^[6] Soviet Union	RENAMO PRM (until 1982) COREMO^[7] UNAMO (1990-1992)^[b]^[8] UNIPOMO^[9] FUMO^[9] Supported by: Rhodesia (until 1979)^[10] South Africa (from 1978)^[11] UNAMO (1987-1990)^[b]^[8] Supported by Malawi (1987-1992)^[c]	Stalemate Rome General Peace Accords, multiparty elections
Gukurahundi (1984–1987)	Zimbabwe	ZAPU	Government victory Unity agreement, formation of ZANU–PF
Second Congo War (1998–2003)	Pro-government: DR Congo Angola Chad Namibia Zimbabwe Sudan (alleged) Anti-Ugandan forces: LRA ADF UNRF II FNI Anti-Rwandan militias: FDLR ALiR Interahamwe RDR Mai-Mai Other Hutu-aligned forces Anti-Burundi militias: CNDD-FDD FROLINA	Rwandan-aligned militias: RCD RCD-Goma Banyamulenge Ugandan-aligned militias: MLC Forces for Renewal UPC Other Tutsi-aligned forces Anti-Angolan forces: UNITA Foreign state actors: Uganda Rwanda Burundi Note: Rwanda and Uganda fought a short war in June 2000 over Congolese territory.	Stalemate Assassination of Laurent-Désiré Kabila Sun City Agreement Creation of a unified, multi-party government in DR Congo, with Joseph Kabila as president Pretoria Accord; Rwandan withdrawal from DR Congo in exchange for commitment towards the disarmament of Hutu militias. The Transitional Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo is established, deployment of MONUC. End of the Angolan Civil War. Continuation of the Ituri conflict. Start of the Kivu conflict.
Kivu Conflict (2004–present)	Pro-government: DR Congo Wazalendo (March 2024–) NDC-R Burundi MONUSCO Angola Zimbabwe Botswana (against FNL and FNL–Nzabampema) Supported by: France Belgium Bulgaria^[12] Horațiu Potra's Mercenary Legion (until 31 Jan 2025)	Rwandan-aligned militias: CNDP Congo River Alliance M23 Banyamulenge Twigwaneho Gumino Ugandan-aligned militias: FPRI FPLC FPDC Foreign state actors: Uganda Rwanda Anti-Ugandan forces: IS-CAP^[13] ADF-Baluku ADF-Mukulu Mai-Mai Kyandenga UPLC Anti-Rwandan militias: FDLR RUD Other Hutu-aligned forces Nyatura Anti-Burundi militias: RED-Tabara FNL Mai-Mai militias: NDC-R (until March 2024) FPP-AP AFRC RNL Mazembe Kifuafua Simba MAC Raia Mutomboki Buhirwa Kidjangala Fuliru Mai-Mai Makanaki Biloze Bishambuke CNPSC Alaise CODECO (in Ituri) Chini ya Kilima–FPIC (in Ituri) Zaïre-FPAC (in Ituri)	Ongoing FARDC victory against the CNDP in 2009 and the M23 movement in 2012 CNDP becomes a political party in the DRC M23 movement signs peace agreement with the DRC government; renews fighting in 2022 Conflict breaks out between Rwanda and the Congo in 2022 FDLR, Mai-Mai militias and other armed groups still active in Eastern DRC UN and FARDC begin operation to defeat the FDLR and their allies at the start of 2015

Notes

^ Portuguese forces assisted the Rhodesians in cross-border operations into Portuguese Mozambique. See Operation Flotilla and Operation Birch.
^ ^a ^b UNAMO was founded in 1987 as a splinter of RENAMO, arguing that RENAMO had become a tribal vehicle for the Ndau, and that UNAMO would be the defenders of the Sena. UNAMO would fight both FRELIMO and RENAMO until reconciling with RENAMO in 1990.^[8]
^ UNAMO's main sponsor, they would continue to support them post-reconciliation even allowing them to operate in Malawi, despite openly sending troops to aid FRELIMO.^[8]

References

^ Norman 2003, p. 65.
^ ^a ^b Thomas 1995, pp. 16–17.
^ "'Da mu nisam 'sredio' susret s Titom, Mugabe nikad ne bi priznao Hrvatsku': prekaljeni diplomat Frane Krnić za 'Slobodnu' otkrio svoje veze s nedavno preminulim liderom Zimbabvea". Slobodna Dalmacija. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
^ Houser, George M. Rhodesia To Zimbabwe: A Chronology. New York: The Africa Fund, 1977, p. 7: ZAPU and the African National Congress of South Africa jointly began an armed struggle in northwestern Rhodesia centered in Wankie. This campaign lasted into 1968, with several hundred ZAPU and South African ANC guerrillas involved. South African troops entered Rhodesia to support the government. Prime Minister Vorster said: "We are good friends (with Rhodesia) and good friends know what their duty is when the neighbour's house is on fire."
^ M Evans, Making an African army: the case of Zimbabwe, 1980-87, Peace, Politics and Violence in the New South Africa, 1992 - afsaap.org.au. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
^ Arnold, Guy (2016). Wars in the Third World Since 1945. Oxford: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. pp. 211–213. ISBN 978-14742-9102-6.
^ Banks & Muller (1998), p. 635.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d "What Future for Mozambique?". Refworld (Writenet/UNHCR). November 1995. Retrieved 17 October 2025.
^ ^a ^b Seegers (2018), Section: Independent Mozambique and the Role of the Armed Forces.
^ Schwartz, Stephanie (2010). Youth and Post-conflict Reconstruction: Agents of Change. Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press. pp. 34–38. ISBN 978-1601270498.
^ War and Society: The Militarisation of South Africa, edited by Jacklyn Cock and Laurie Nathan, pp.104-115
^ "Smoking guns". Transnational Institute. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.
^ West, Sunguta (31 May 2019). "Has Islamic State Really Entered the Congo and is an IS Province There a Gamble?" (PDF). Terrorism Monitor. 17 (11). Jamestown Foundation: 7–9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2019.

Sources

Banks, Arthur S.; Muller, Thomas C., eds. (1998). Political Handbook of the World: 1998: Governments and Intergovernmental Organizations as of January 1, 1998. London: Palgrave Macmillan UK. doi:10.1007/978-1-349-14951-3. ISBN 978-1-349-14953-7.
Emerson, Stephen A. (2014). The battle for Mozambique: the Frelimo-Renamo struggle, 1977-1992. West Midlands: Helion. ISBN 978-1-909384-92-7.
Norman, Andrew (December 2003). Robert Mugabe and the Betrayal of Zimbabwe. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company. ISBN 978-0-7864-1686-8.
Seegers, Annette (2018) [1st pub. 1986]. "From Liberation to Modernization: Transforming Revolutionary Paramilitary Forces into Standing Professional Armies". In Arlinghaus, Bruce E.; Baker, Pauline H. (eds.). African Armies: Evolution And Capabilities. Abingdon-on-Thames: Routledge. pp. 52–83. ISBN 978-0-429-72578-4.
Thomas, Scott (1995). The Diplomacy of Liberation: the Foreign Relations of the ANC Since 1960 (1st ed.). London: I.B. Tauris. ISBN 978-1-85043-993-6.

[4] Portuguese forces assisted the Rhodesians in cross-border operations into Portuguese Mozambique. See Operation Flotilla and Operation Birch.

[UNAMO-9] UNAMO was founded in 1987 as a splinter of RENAMO, arguing that RENAMO had become a tribal vehicle for the Ndau, and that UNAMO would be the defenders of the Sena. UNAMO would fight both FRELIMO and RENAMO until reconciling with RENAMO in 1990.^[8]

[14] UNAMO's main sponsor, they would continue to support them post-reconciliation even allowing them to operate in Malawi, despite openly sending troops to aid FRELIMO.^[8]

[FOOTNOTENorman200365-1] Norman 2003, p. 65.

[FOOTNOTEThomas199516–17-2] Thomas 1995, pp. 16–17.

[Slobodna_Dalmacija-3] "'Da mu nisam 'sredio' susret s Titom, Mugabe nikad ne bi priznao Hrvatsku': prekaljeni diplomat Frane Krnić za 'Slobodnu' otkrio svoje veze s nedavno preminulim liderom Zimbabvea". Slobodna Dalmacija. 17 September 2019. Retrieved 8 August 2020.

[5] Houser, George M. Rhodesia To Zimbabwe: A Chronology. New York: The Africa Fund, 1977, p. 7: ZAPU and the African National Congress of South Africa jointly began an armed struggle in northwestern Rhodesia centered in Wankie. This campaign lasted into 1968, with several hundred ZAPU and South African ANC guerrillas involved. South African troops entered Rhodesia to support the government. Prime Minister Vorster said: "We are good friends (with Rhodesia) and good friends know what their duty is when the neighbour's house is on fire."

[6] M Evans, Making an African army: the case of Zimbabwe, 1980-87, Peace, Politics and Violence in the New South Africa, 1992 - afsaap.org.au. Retrieved 26 December 2015.

[Arnold-7] Arnold, Guy (2016). Wars in the Third World Since 1945. Oxford: Bloomsbury Publishing Plc. pp. 211–213. ISBN 978-14742-9102-6.

[FOOTNOTEBanksMuller1998635-8] Banks & Muller (1998), p. 635.

[UNCHR-10] "What Future for Mozambique?". Refworld (Writenet/UNHCR). November 1995. Retrieved 17 October 2025.

[FOOTNOTESeegers2018Section:_Independent_Mozambique_and_the_Role_of_the_Armed_Forces-11] Seegers (2018), Section: Independent Mozambique and the Role of the Armed Forces.

[Schwartz-12] Schwartz, Stephanie (2010). Youth and Post-conflict Reconstruction: Agents of Change. Washington, D.C.: United States Institute of Peace Press. pp. 34–38. ISBN 978-1601270498.

[Mozambique-13] War and Society: The Militarisation of South Africa, edited by Jacklyn Cock and Laurie Nathan, pp.104-115

[Smoking_guns-15] "Smoking guns". Transnational Institute. 28 July 2021. Archived from the original on 28 October 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2021.

[16] West, Sunguta (31 May 2019). "Has Islamic State Really Entered the Congo and is an IS Province There a Gamble?" (PDF). Terrorism Monitor. 17 (11). Jamestown Foundation: 7–9. Archived (PDF) from the original on 26 July 2019. Retrieved 26 July 2019.

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Lists of wars involving African countries
Sovereign states	Algeria Angola Benin Botswana Burkina Faso Burundi Cameroon Cape Verde Central African Republic Chad Comoros Democratic Republic of the Congo Republic of the Congo Djibouti Egypt Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Eswatini Ethiopia Gabon The Gambia Ghana Guinea Guinea-Bissau Ivory Coast Kenya Lesotho Liberia Libya Madagascar Malawi Mali Mauritania Mauritius Morocco Mozambique Namibia Niger Nigeria Rwanda São Tomé and Príncipe Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Somalia South Africa South Sudan Sudan Tanzania Togo Tunisia Uganda Zambia Zimbabwe
States with limited recognition	Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic Somaliland
Dependencies and other territories	Canary Islands / Ceuta / Melilla (Spain) Madeira (Portugal) Mayotte / Réunion (France) Saint Helena / Ascension Island / Tristan da Cunha (United Kingdom)