[3] As the Cold War began to draw to a close, Cuba and South Africa withdrew their troops from the conflict,[2] forcing the MPLA and UNITA into negotiating a political settlement.

[4] This framework evolved into the Bicesse Accords, signed by the People's Republic of Angola and UNITA on 31 May 1991 in Lisbon, Portugal.

[6] For the presidency, José Eduardo dos Santos of the MPLA received 49% of the vote, compared to UNITA leader Jonas Savimbi's 40%.

[7] On 20 October, unidentified gunmen assassinated popular Angolan author Fernando Marcelino, sending shockwaves through the country.

[7] On 27 October, UNITA issued a series of demands which called for a second round of elections, to be organized solely by the UN or other impartial observers, "impartial" state media, immediate withdrawal of riot police from the streets, cessation of "arbitrary arrest and persecutions" of UNITA supporters, new electoral registration procedures, a new ballot, and a new electoral code of conduct.

[7] In the early hours of 30 October, Angolan police exchanged fire with UNITA troops at the Luanda airport, and twelve civilians were killed in the crossfire.

[7] The dead included three civilian Portuguese expatriates, which the police falsely attempted to present as mercenaries fighting for UNITA.

[9] Some people disappeared completely, with some human rights reports detailing accounts of security forces carrying out executions of suspected UNITA supporters.