Second Congo War
A major conflict drawing nine African nations and 25 armed groups.
The war initially erupted when Congolese president Laurent-Désiré Kabila turned against his former allies from Rwanda and Uganda, who had helped him seize power. The conflict expanded as Kabila rallied a coalition of other countries to his defense, drawing in nine African nations and approximately 25 armed groups, making it one of the largest wars in African history.
- location
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- participants
- 9 African nations, approximately 25 armed groups
- estimated_deaths
- 5.4 million (primarily due to disease, malnutrition, and war crimes)
- displaced_people
- approximately 2 million
- also_known_as
- Africa's World War, Great War of Africa
Lore & Background
Rwandan soldiers under James Kabarebe hijacked three planes and flew them to the government base of Kitona on the Atlantic coast, winning over troops there to the Rwandan side. The war drew in nine African nations and approximately 25 armed groups. Violence has persisted in various regions, particularly in the east, through ongoing conflicts such as the Lord's Resistance Army insurgency and the Kivu and Ituri conflicts.
Reader's Guide
The conflict also displaced approximately 2 million people, forcing them to flee their homes or seek asylum in neighboring countries. The war was heavily influenced and funded by the trade of conflict minerals, which continues to fuel violence in the region. The war's legacy includes ongoing instability in eastern DRC, with persistent violence from groups like the Lord's Resistance Army and the Kivu and Ituri conflicts. The war demonstrated the devastating impact of regional intervention and the exploitation of natural resources in fueling large-scale conflict.
Did You Know?
- The war drew in nine African nations and approximately 25 armed groups.
- An estimated 5.4 million deaths occurred, primarily due to disease, malnutrition, and war crimes.
- The war was heavily influenced and funded by the trade of conflict minerals.
More in Wars & Conflicts 1-20
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