Nine Kavango villagers missing amid Angola border skirmish

Nine unarmed men from Kavango East who crossed into Angola on Sunday in pursuit of suspects accused of assaulting a local herder and stealing more than 70 cattle have not yet returned to Namibia. Police have since been called in to help locate the missing group.The incident, which unfolded over the weekend in Diyogha village, has sparked fear and outrage among Namibians living along the Angolan border. Community members are now calling for urgent government action following the alleged brazen cross-border raid, in which cattle worth more than N$400 000 were stolen.Speaking to Namibian Sun yesterday, residents recounted the events of Saturday, 10 May, when five men – believed to be of Angolan descent – allegedly abducted and assaulted a young cattle herder before stealing livestock from three local homesteads.The attackers reportedly spoke Ruyi, a language used in parts of Angola, while one spoke in Thimbukushu, a Namibian language. The young herder was allegedly beaten with sticks on his legs and head, leaving him bloodied and disoriented. He reportedly crawled back to Diyogha village to seek help.On Sunday, 11 May, nine villagers crossed into Angola in an attempt to recover both the missing cattle and the traumatised boy – who they did not yet know had managed to return to the village. As of yesterday afternoon, none had returned, and their whereabouts remain unknown.Diyogha resident Gelasius Kapapero told Namibian Sun: “The police escorted them, and then they left them about 12 kilometres from the river. The police came back and left the villagers there to go and hunt for the livestock and the missing persons.”The suspects are believed to have moved on to Mushangara, a village in southern Angola, and are reportedly armed with at least three AK-47 rifles. The young herder, still in shock, warned villagers not to follow the group, recalling their threats that anyone in pursuit would be killed.Bad memories These threats have heightened fears over the fate of the missing men.The incident has also revived painful memories of 1998 and 1999, when Angola’s Unita rebel forces raided villages in the Kavango Region, looting livestock and terrorising residents.Kavango East police deputy commissioner Bonifasius Kanyetu said law enforcement is mobilising resources to support affected families.“We are heading down there to find out what transpired. I’m going myself to establish what happened,” he said.Kanyetu added that the Namibian Police had contacted their Angolan counterparts for assistance.Kavango East Regional Council chairperson Damian Maghambayi yesterday confirmed the cattle theft but said he was not fully briefed on the police&#039;s involvement.“What I know is that cattle were stolen, and I think the owners of the cattle are working together with the police to reprimand those who stole the cattle,” he said.National emergencyA message that has been circulated from concerned villagers states: “This is no longer a village concern. It is a national emergency. It is a matter that beckons for the urgent intervention of the Namibian Defence Force, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and all relevant state security structures.”Residents in the area now live in fear, questioning the safety of their communities and the effectiveness of law enforcement in securing the border.“Our people went unarmed. They are fathers, sons, brothers. They left with only pain and hope,” the message stated.

Nine Kavango villagers missing amid Angola border skirmish

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Namibian Sun 2026-08-11

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Nine Kavango villagers missing amid Angola border skirmish

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Namibian Sun 2026-08-11

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