Sierra Leone Civil War
Civil war fueled by diamonds, corruption, and foreign intervention.
Andbrew.downes · CC BY-SA 3.0
It is significant for the role of diamond resources in financing the conflict and for multiple international interventions.
- location
- Sierra Leone
- displaced
- approximately 2.5 million
- major_factions
- Revolutionary United Front (RUF), Sierra Leone Army (SLA), Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC), Executive Outcomes, ECOMOG, UNAMSIL, United Kingdom
Lore & Background
The war erupted when the RUF, backed by Liberian forces, invaded Sierra Leone to overthrow President Joseph Momoh. Within the first year, the RUF seized diamond-rich eastern and southern areas.
Reader's Guide
The new government declared the war over, but looting, rape, and murder followed. ECOMOG forces retook Freetown but struggled to pacify outlying areas. The United Kingdom launched Operation Palliser, with Guinean air support and a renewed UN mandate, defeating the RUF and retaking Freetown. The conflict highlighted the 'resource curse' of diamonds financing corruption and violence, and the collapse of state institutions under decades of misrule.
Did You Know?
- An estimated 2.5 million people were displaced during the conflict.
- The Lome Peace Accord offered RUF commander Foday Sankoh the vice presidency and chairmanship of the Board of the Commission for the Management of Strategic Resources, which oversaw diamond mines, but he never took offic
Gallery
Frequently Asked Questions
What role did diamonds play in the Sierra Leone Civil War?
Control over Sierra Leone's diamond mines became a central economic driver of the fighting, as warring factions used rough stones to finance weapons and sustain their operations. This link between gemstones and armed conflict is what gave rise to the term 'blood diamonds' in global discourse.
Who were the main factions fighting in the Sierra Leone Civil War?
The primary combatants included the Revolutionary United Front, the Sierra Leone Army, the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council, and the private military firm Executive Outcomes. International peacekeeping bodies such as ECOMOG, UNAMSIL, and United Kingdom forces also intervened at various points.
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