Xangongo (pre-1975: ''Vila Roçadas'') is a town, with a population of 35,000 (2014), and a commune in the municipality of Ombadja, province of Cunene, Angola. It is also the seat of that municipality and is located at around . It was also the site of considerable fighting in the war for the independence of

Namibia Namibia (, ), officially the Republic of Namibia, is a country in Southern Africa. Its western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Zambia and Angola to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and e ...

(Southwest Africa) and the

Angolan Civil War The Angolan Civil War ( pt, Guerra Civil Angolana) was a civil war in Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with interludes, until 2002. The war immediately began after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. The war wa ...

Xangongo and SWAPO

Xangongo was the headquarters of

SWAPO The South West Africa People's Organisation (, SWAPO; af, Suidwes-Afrikaanse Volks Organisasie, SWAVO; german: Südwestafrikanische Volksorganisation, SWAVO), officially known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia, is a political party and former ind ...

's "northwestern front." A

South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the southernmost country in Africa. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the north by the neighbouring count ...

n military operation called " Operation Protea" occurred on August 23, 1981. Its aim was to destroy SWAPO in the Angolan towns of Xangongo and Ondjiva. It was very successful and significantly boosted the South African military operations against both SWAPO and the Angolan military. The bridge over the Cunene River was destroyed by SADF Special Forces and the town was held for many years by South Africa.Turton, A.R. 2010. Shaking Hands with Billy. Durban: Just Done Publications. http://www.shakinghandswithbilly.com At the end of the Battle of Cuito Cuanavale the Fidel Castro 50th Brigade moved in and started harassing the withdrawing SADF forces, triggering Operation Excite/Hilti. In response to this harassment the SADF mobilized 81 Armoured Brigade in Operation Desert Fox, designed to neutralize the Cuban 50th Division,Ramsden, Tim. 2009. Border-Line Insanity: A National Serviceman’s Story. Alberton: Galago. but this was not necessary because of the successful negotiations that ended the South African involvement in the Angolan Civil War.

Transport

The area is served by Xangongo Airport.

References

Populated places in Cunene Province Communes in Cunene Province {{Angola-geo-stub