Nelumba, who is better known by his alias "Sanjar", was previously da Cruz's deputy, in charge of planning.

No information was available as to what illness had forced da Cruz to stand down.

The outgoing military chief took up his post in 2001 and led a vast offensive against the then rebel National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA), which culminated in the battlefield death in February last year of UNITA's founder and leader Jonas Savimbi.

Savimbi's death signalled the end of Angola's 27-year civil war. A ceasefire pact was officially signed six weeks later between UNITA and the army, and the rebel group has now transformed itself into a political party.

UNITA is currently holding a conference in Luanda, at which it is due to elect a successor to Savimbi.

WAR.WIRE