▁Ang ola ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁fight ▁the ▁national ist ▁gu err illas , ▁during ▁the ▁Portuguese ▁Col onial ▁War . ▁ ▁After ▁independence ▁from ▁Portugal ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 , ▁Ku ito ▁saw ▁its ▁worst ▁times ▁on ▁ 6 ▁January ▁ 1 9 9 3 ▁when ▁UN IT A , ▁during ▁the ▁Ang olan ▁Civil ▁War , ▁laid ▁sie ge ▁of ▁the ▁city ▁for ▁over ▁ 9 ▁months ▁and ▁over ▁ 3 0 , 0 0 0 ▁people ▁were ▁killed , ▁both ▁from ▁war ▁effects ▁and ▁star v ation . ▁Nob ody ▁was ▁permitted ▁to ▁enter ▁or ▁leave ▁the ▁city ▁for ▁ 9 ▁months ▁and ▁the ▁city ▁suffered ▁heavy ▁damage . ▁UN IT A ▁was ▁eventually ▁driven ▁from ▁Ku ito ▁and ▁a ▁second ▁attempt ▁was ▁made ▁to ▁capture ▁the ▁city ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 8 ▁using ▁huge ▁art illery ▁and ▁t anks . ▁ ▁Cl imate ▁The ▁town ▁s its ▁on ▁the ▁eastern ▁fl ank ▁of ▁the ▁B ie ▁Pl ate au . ▁The ▁climate ▁is ▁unus ually ▁cool ▁for ▁its ▁tropical ▁location . ▁The ▁average ▁annual ▁temperature ▁is ▁ 1 8   ° C , ▁largely ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁high ▁alt itude . ▁The ▁cool est ▁period ▁is ▁May ▁to ▁August ▁when ▁almost ▁no ▁rain ▁falls . ▁September ▁and ▁October ▁are ▁the ▁h ott est ▁months ▁with ▁a ▁little ▁rain . ▁He avy ▁rain ▁falls ▁in ▁the ▁main ▁ra iny ▁season ▁November ▁to ▁April . ▁ ▁Transport ation ▁Ku ito ▁is ▁served ▁by ▁the ▁Beng uela ▁railway ▁that ▁once