fˈeɪlɪntəl ɡˈeɪnd mˈoʊst əv ɪts ɪnˈɪʃəl mˈɪlətˌɛɹi jˈuːnɪts wɛn mˈoʊst əv ðə fˈɔːɹmɚ pˌoːɹtʃəɡˈiːz ɡˈæɹɪsən fˈoːɹsᵻz ɪnðə tˈɛɹɪtˌoːɹi swˈɪtʃt ɐlˈiːdʒəns tʊ ɪɾ ɪn ˈɔːɡəst nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈaɪv ˈæftɚ ðə pˌoːɹtʃəɡˈiːz wɪθdɹˈuː fˈɑːloʊɪŋ ðə nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ kɑːɹnˈeɪʃən ɹˌɛvəlˈuːʃən.
Falintil gained most of its initial military units when most of the former Portuguese garrison forces in the territory switched allegiance to it in August 1975 after the Portuguese withdrew following the 1974 Carnation Revolution.