It was garrisoned by soldiers of FAPLA's 32 Brigade and forty to sixty Cuban instructors and due to the conditions of the roads in the region, was supplied by air from Menongue.

[1]: 167  The FAPLA troops in Cangamba called for reinforcements which were assembled in Huambo, Menongue and Lubango but would take a week to cross UNITA territory to reach the garrison.

[1]: 169  Two days after the relief columns arrived, the South African Air Force (SAAF) was called in on 12 August to assist UNITA.

[1]: 168 Although UNITA was able to displace FAPLA from Cangamba and central Moxico, the battle had proved to be far costlier than the quick seizure and show of strength that Savimbi had initially hoped for.

Estimates of FAPLA losses range from sixty to seventy killed and 157 wounded to several hundred casualties, the majority of which were inflicted in the week of 2 to 9 August.