On February 4, 1961, armed militants attacked the prison and administration posts in Luanda, the capital of Angola; a brutal repression against black populations ensued; at the same time, the long strike of cotton workers in the east of the country was crushed, with napalm bombing. On 15 March, northern bakongos attacked properties and villages, killing hundreds of Portuguese and Angolan with machetes. The independence movements MPLA and UPA supported these actions. Salazar, Head of Government, granted the Defence portfolio and announced his decision to send troops to Angola and STAY in Africa.