Seven civilians were killed and eighteen wounded in an ambush 200 kilometers northeast of Luanda (Kwanza-Norte province.) The government blamed it on UNITA, as it has similar incidents in the area that have killed sixty people this Summer. But the culprits are just as likely to have been bandits. The war has created thousands of armed freebooters who work for themselves most of the time, but will also sign on with the government or UNITA if the opportunity presents itself. Perhaps with that in mind, the SADC (Southern African Development Community) has refused to get involved militarily in the war, responding today by pledging non-military aid to the government. After 24 years of civil war, Angola has turned into a free fire zone for anyone, locals and foreigners alike. The Angolan war was already five years old when SADC was founded.