Gulf of Guinea Crisis

The Gulf of Guinea Crisis, sometimes called the Formosan-Sanyanian War, was a short-lived conflict between Formosa and Sanyan in the Gulf of Guinea. The war, which took place in November 1976, saw Formosa unsuccessfully attempt to curtail Sanyanian oil-drilling and shipping interests in the Gulf. Most of the fighting took place in small-scale sea and air engagements until the conflict was halted through mediation by the Soviet Union. The subsequent Bissau Agreement delineated clear economic boundaries in the Guinean oil-drilling regions.

Gulf of Guinea Crisis
Clockwise from top: The tanker SS Atlantik Oba after being struck by Formosan bombers; a Formosan missile boat photographed off Sanyan; a Formosan Tu-22A bomber on an attack run.
Date 4 November – 21 November 1976 Location Gulf of Guinea Result Soviet mediation; Status quo ante bellum; Bissau Agreement
Belligerents
Formosa Support: Argentina (alleged)	Sanyan Support: Balisca Internationalist Brigades Philippines
Commanders and leaders
Rodrigo Nkumu Saiz	Fumnanya Yobachukwu Mário Sá Justino
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Approx. 100 killed 1 missile boat 5 motor launches 2 landing ships 7 aircraft	23 killed 2 oil tankers 18 killed 3 aircraft (2 on ground, 1 in air)

The Crisis occurred against the backdrop of the South Atlantic War and was timed by Formosan war planners to coincide with Sanyanian ally Balisca being engaged against Argentina and unable to enter the war in Africa.