Xangongo (pre-1975: ''Vila Roçadas'') is a town, with a population of 35,000 (2014), and a

commune A commune is an alternative term for an intentional community. Commune or comună or comune or other derivations may also refer to: Administrative-territorial entities * Commune (administrative division), a municipality or township ** Communes of ...

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 ea ...

(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 was ...

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. It is bounded to the south by of coastline that stretch along the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic and Indian Oceans; to the ...

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 Ondjiva, formerly Vila Pereira d'Eça, is a town, with a population of 121,537 (2014), and a commune in the municipality of Cuanhama, province of Cunene, Angola. It is also the administrative capital of Cunene Province and is located at the ext ...

. 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 The South African Defence Force (SADF) (Afrikaans: ''Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag'') comprised the armed forces of South Africa from 1957 until 1994. Shortly before the state reconstituted itself as a republic in 1961, the former Union Defence ...

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 the town of Cuito Cuanavale, Angola, by the People's Armed Forces for the Liberation of Angola (FAPLA) and advisors and sold ...

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