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comandos

The Comandos were a special forces unit of the Portuguese Army, created in 1956 during the Portuguese Colonial War. The unit's primary mission was to conduct ambushes and raids behind enemy lines in Portuguese Africa. The Comandos were known for their unconventional tactics and their use of specialized equipment, such as parachuting, heliborne assaults, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

The unit was initially formed as a independent regiment, with its own parachute company and helicopter squadron.

The Comandos saw action in several theatres, including Mozambique, Angola, and Guinea-Bissau. They were responsible for

The Comandos were led by some of the most experienced officers in the Portuguese Army, including Lieutenant-Colonel

The Comandos continued to operate until the eventual withdrawal of Portuguese forces from Africa in the late

The
Comandos
were
trained
to
conduct
a
variety
of
missions,
including
reconnaissance,
sabotage,
and
direct
action.
They
were
also
equipped
with
advanced
communication
and
intelligence
equipment,
which
allowed
them
to
stay
in
contact
with
headquarters
and
gather
real-time
information
about
enemy
movements.
several
high-profile
operations,
including
the
1961
capture
of
Katembo
airfield
in
Congo,
and
the
1971
destruction
of
a
Angolan
train
carrying
Soviet
arms
to
the
MPLA.
António
de
Spínola,
who
would
later
become
a
key
figure
in
the
Carnation
Revolution.
Despite
their
reputation
for
bravery
and
tenacity,
the
Comandos
were
criticized
by
some
for
their
role
in
the
use
of
torture
and
other
forms
of
human
rights
abuses
in
Portuguese
Africa.
1970s.
Today,
their
legacy
is
still
remembered
by
veterans
of
the
Portuguese
armed
forces
and
by
historians
of
the
Cold
War
era.