Why did South Africa attack houses in Maseru in December 1982?

In December 1982, the South African Defence Force carried out an attack on houses in Maseru under the allegation that these locations served as guerrilla bases for the African National Congress.12

This military action was part of a broader strategy by apartheid South Africa to destabilize its African neighbors, particularly as tensions rose due to Lesotho’s decision to accept refugees fleeing the South African regime. The raid resulted in the deaths of more than 40 people, many of whom were citizens of Lesotho, and led to a significant deterioration in diplomatic relations between the two countries as South Africa subsequently demanded the expulsion of South African refugees from Lesotho.12