1978 in zaire rebels occupy the city of kolwezi the mining cent 05 12
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1978 48 years ago Historical Events May 12 3 sources

In Zaire, rebels occupy the city of Kolwezi, the mining center of the province of Shaba (now known as Katanga); the local government asks the US, France and Belgium to restore order.

On May 12, in the year 1978, In Zaire, rebels occupy the city of Kolwezi, the mining center of the province of Shaba (now known as Katanga); the local government asks the US, France and Belgium to restore order. This event is recorded as a Historical Events event in the history of May 12, a notable event in this corner of history.

Zaire, officially the Democratic Republic of the Congo from 1965 to 1971 and Republic of Zaire from 1971 to 1997, was a country in Central Africa headed by Mobutu Sese Seko from 1965 to 1997. It was, by area, the third-largest country in Africa after Sudan and Algeria, and the 11th-largest country in the world from 1965 to 1991. With a population of over 23 million, Zaire was the most populous Francophone country in Africa. Zaire was strategically important to the West during the Cold War, particularly the U.S., as a counterbalance to Soviet influence in Africa. The U.S. and its allies supported the Mobutu regime with military and economic aid to prevent the spread of communism which made it a key player for U.S. involvement in Africa.

Key Facts

  • This event took place on May 12, 1978 (AD era).
  • It is categorised as a Historical Events event in recorded history.
  • Referenced in 3 Wikipedia articles.
  • The event is associated with a specific geographical location (see map below).
  • Wikipedia source last updated on 2 May 2026.

On This Date in History

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Notable Deaths 2014 May 12 Cornell Borchers, Lithuanian-German actress and singer (born 1925)
Notable Deaths 2014 May 12 Marco Cé, Italian cardinal (born 1925)
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Notable Deaths 2014 May 12 Sarat Pujari, Indian actor, director, and screenwriter (born 1934)
Notable Deaths 2014 May 12 Lorenzo Zambrano, Mexican businessman and philanthropist (born 1944)
Notable Deaths 2013 May 12 Gerd Langguth, German political scientist, author, and academic (born 1946)
Notable Deaths 2012 May 12 Jan Bens, Dutch footballer and coach (born 1921)
Notable Deaths 2012 May 12 Eddy Paape, Belgian illustrator (born 1920)
Historical Events 2010 May 12 Afriqiyah Airways Flight 771 crashes on final approach to Tripoli International Airport in Tripoli, Libya, killing 103 o
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Notable Deaths 2009 May 12 Antonio Vega, Spanish singer-songwriter and guitarist (born 1957)
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Notable Deaths 2008 May 12 Robert Rauschenberg, American painter and illustrator (born 1925)
Notable Deaths 2008 May 12 Irena Sendler, Polish nurse and humanitarian (born 1910)
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Historical Events 2006 May 12 Mass unrest by the Primeiro Comando da Capital begins in São Paulo (Brazil), leaving at least 150 dead
Historical Events 2006 May 12 Iranian Azeris interpret a cartoon published in an Iranian magazine as insulting, resulting in massive riots throughout
Notable Births 2006 May 12 Vasilije Adžić, Montenegrin footballer
Notable Deaths 2006 May 12 Hussein Maziq, Libyan politician, Prime Minister of Libya (born 1918)
Notable Births 2005 May 12 Zach Benson, Canadian ice hockey player
Notable Deaths 2005 May 12 Ömer Kavur, Turkish director, producer, and screenwriter (born 1944)
Notable Deaths 2005 May 12 Martin Lings, English author and scholar (born 1909)
Notable Deaths 2005 May 12 Kai Setälä, Finnish physician and professor (born 1913)
Notable Deaths 2005 May 12 Monica Zetterlund, Swedish actress (born 1937)
Historical Events 2003 May 12 The Riyadh compound bombings in Saudi Arabia, carried out by al-Qaeda, kill 39 people
Notable Deaths 2003 May 12 Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, French-American diplomat (born 1933)
Historical Events 2002 May 12 Former US President Jimmy Carter arrives in Cuba for a five-day visit with Fidel Castro, becoming the first President of
Notable Births 2001 May 12 Issa Kaboré, Burkinabé footballer
Notable Deaths 2001 May 12 Perry Como, American singer and television host (born 1912)
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Notable Deaths 2000 May 12 Adam Petty, American race car driver (born 1980)

This article draws on content from Wikipedia, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

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