The Sierra Leone Civil War began when the Revolutionary United Front, led by Foday Sankoh and supported by Charles Taylor of Liberia, launched an insurgency against the government from the eastern part of the country. The RUF financed itself with diamonds, and became notorious for atrocities against civilians, including mutilations such as the amputation of limbs, and for recruiting child soldiers. Government forces, who were also accused of abuses, struggled to defeat it, and coups and foreign mercenaries added to the instability. Regional peacekeepers from ECOWAS, a UN mission and a British military intervention in 2000 helped to end the war. A Special Court tried those most responsible, including Charles Taylor, who was convicted.
Before and after
- 20 February 1991Creation of Python
- from 26 February 1991 to 27 February 1991Battle of 73 Easting
- 27 February 1991Battle of Medina Ridge
- 21 March 1991Birth of Antoine Griezmann
- from 23 March 1991 to 18 January 2002Sierra Leone Civil War
- from 31 March 1991 to 13 August 2001Yugoslav Wars
- from 31 March 1991 to 7 August 1995Croatian War of Independence
- 5 April 1991Launch of Compton Gamma Ray Observatory
- from 30 April 1991 to 15 May 1991Operation Ring
More in Wars, politics & history
- 6 August 1945Atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
- from January 1978 to February 1979Iranian Revolution
- from 22 September 1980 to 20 August 1988Iran–Iraq War
- 3 November 20202020 United States presidential election
- 7 October 2023Gaza genocide
- 28 February 20262026 Iran War
The era
This moment belongs to the Contemporary world (1945 CE to today), the world since 1945. You can also browse everything in the 20th century.