Other major events Operation White Giant (March–April 1965) was a military offensive conducted by the forces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and its allies to retake northeastern Orientale Province from insurgents during the Simba rebellion.

[6] In 1964, insurgents called "Simbas" launched a major rebellion in the eastern regions, inflicting heavy losses on the Armée Nationale Congolaise (ANC), the national military.

[9][10] These troops were led by Mike Hoare and organized as units termed "Commandos",[9] relying on speed and firepower to outgun and outmaneuver the insurgents.

[9] In late 1964, the Congolese government and its allies, including Belgium and the United States, organized a major counter-offensive against the Simba rebels.

[1] Hoare, assisted by two other mercenary commanders, namely Captain John Peters and Major Alastair Wicks, subsequently worked out a plan for an offensive code-named "White Giant".

[1] Hoare's contingent also enjoyed covert support by the United States' CIA, including Cuban exiles who piloted military aircraft and were collectively called "Makasi".

[1] In this initial push, 58–59 mercenaries led by Roy Larsen captured Mahagi's port in a seaborne attack using fishing vessels on Lake Albert.

[1] Rebel weaponry and documents captured by the government forces at Aru confirmed that the local insurgents were supplied by the Uganda Army in exchange for gold from regional mines.

The government troops secured abandoned weaponry at Aba, and discovered evidence that Sudanese and Egyptian advisors had previously been present at the insurgent headquarters.

[4] At this point, Operation White Giant's second phase began, targeted at retaking the remaining major towns of northeastern Orientale Province.

[5] After retaking Watsa, the security forces murdered 50 to 60 captured Simbas in revenge for a massacre committed by the rebels in the town in the previous November.

[15] Operation White Giant was one of the key campaigns of 1965 which effectively broke the Simba rebels' resistance, despite the persistence of scattered insurgent forces after 1965.