Namibian police and soldiers have crossed into Angola to look for nine villagers who went missing after chasing cattle thieves across the border.
The trouble started on Saturday when armed criminals stole 56 cattle from Diyogha village in the Kavango East Region. The next day, nine men from the village followed the thieves into Angola to try to recover the animals. None of them have returned.
The Namibian Police (Nampol) and the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) are now working together on the case. They were allowed by Angolan officials to enter Angola and are being helped by local authorities there.
Mukwe Constituency Councillor Damian Maghambayi confirmed that the missing men are still unaccounted for. Their names are Diyeve Augustinus Kavindja, Poroto Paulus Haingura, Thitaka Paulinus, Katembo Lukas, Kashosho Seba, Mutavani, Manidji, Natongo, and Johnny.
Diyogha village is close to the Angola border, about 190 kilometres east of Rundu. The area on the Angolan side was once controlled by UNITA rebels.
The search is still ongoing, and people living near the border have been asked to remain calm and report any helpful information.
