55 Day War

The 55 Day War (Portuguese: Guerra dos 55 Dias) occurred in Angola, following the 1992 elections, when the city of Huambo was disrupted by a confrontation between the People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) and National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA). The war lasted 55 days, beginning on 9 January 1993.[1][2]

55 Day War
Part of the Angolan Civil War
Date 9 January 1993 – 6 March 1993 (56 days) Location Angola Result UNITA victory
Belligerents
MPLA	UNITA
Commanders and leaders
João de Matos Higino Carneiro	Jonas Savimbi Demosthenes Amos Chilingutila

Over those days, the city was destroyed and lay in ruins. Few prisoners were taken. Wounded civilians and soldiers were left in the streets to die.[3]

After 55 days of urban warfare, UNITA held the city.[1] The MPLA retired to Benguela.

During the conflict, the MPLA lost 40 tanks and most of its artillery and small arms were captured.[3] UNITA claims that MPLA's casualties were 12,000. Other estimates of casualties totaled 12,000 to 15,000 with 5,000 being civilians.[3]

As a consequence of this conflict, Huambo lost its hegemony over other Angolan cities, having lost its industrial base, schools, universities and homes.