Xangongo
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Xangongo (pre-1975: ''Vila Roçadas'') is a
town A town is a type of a human settlement, generally larger than a village but smaller than a city. The criteria for distinguishing a town vary globally, often depending on factors such as population size, economic character, administrative stat ...
with a population of 35,000 (2014), and a commune in the municipality of Ombadja, within the province of Cunene, in
Angola Angola, officially the Republic of Angola, is a country on the west-Central Africa, central coast of Southern Africa. It is the second-largest Portuguese-speaking world, Portuguese-speaking (Lusophone) country in both total area and List of c ...
. Xangongo is also the seat of Ombadja municipality. The commune was also the site of considerable fighting in the Namibian War of Independence and the
Angolan Civil War The Angolan Civil War () was a civil war in Angola, beginning in 1975 and continuing, with interludes, until 2002. The war began immediately after Angola became independent from Portugal in November 1975. It was a power struggle between two for ...
.


Xangongo and SWAPO

Xangongo was the headquarters of SWAPO's "northwestern front." A
South Africa South Africa, officially the Republic of South Africa (RSA), is the Southern Africa, southernmost country in Africa. Its Provinces of South Africa, nine provinces are bounded to the south by of coastline that stretches along the Atlantic O ...
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 Battle of Cuito Cuanavale was fought intermittently between 14 August 1987 and 23 March 1988, south and east of Cuito Cuanavale, Angola, by the People's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA) and Cuba against South Africa an ...
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