alion ▁was ▁deployed ▁against ▁the ▁National ▁Union ▁for ▁the ▁Total ▁Independ ence ▁of ▁Ang ola ▁( UN IT A ) ▁ins urg ents ▁near ▁K ib as he . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁three ▁batt al ions ▁of ▁newly ▁trained ▁M K ▁rec ruits ▁were ▁deployed ▁to ▁guard ▁F AP LA ▁rear ▁areas ▁during ▁Operation ▁Al pha ▁Cent a uri . ▁M K ▁also ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Cu ito ▁Cu an av ale , ▁fighting ▁against ▁a ▁joint ▁South ▁African ▁and ▁UN IT A ▁expedition ary ▁force ▁during ▁Operation ▁Ho oper ▁and ▁Operation ▁Pack er . ▁At ▁least ▁ 1 0 0 ▁M K ▁cad res ▁were ▁killed ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Cu ito ▁Cu an av ale , ▁making ▁that ▁eng agement ▁of ▁enorm ous ▁symbol ic ▁importance , ▁as ▁it ▁was ▁the ▁largest ▁single ▁loss ▁of ▁life ▁in ▁M K ' s ▁history . ▁Furthermore , ▁M K ' s ▁prest ige ▁inside ▁South ▁Africa ▁was ▁greatly ▁en hanced ▁by ▁its ▁participation ▁in ▁a ▁conventional ▁battle , ▁and ▁apparent ▁willing ness ▁to ▁directly ▁confront ▁a ▁South ▁African ▁military ▁force . ▁ ▁Mor ale ▁Cris is ▁in ▁Ang ola ▁ ▁Following ▁the ▁S ow eto ▁U pr ising ▁large ▁numbers ▁of ▁young ▁South ▁Afr icans ▁fled ▁the ▁country ▁and ▁joined ▁the ▁AN C ▁and ▁M K , ▁seeking ▁the ▁opportunity ▁to ▁fight ▁back ▁at ▁the ▁apart heid ▁state . ▁Initial ly ▁the ▁experience ▁in ▁Ang olan ▁training ▁cam ps ▁was ▁positive ▁but ▁over ▁time ▁fr ustration ▁that ▁the