Revolutionary United Front

The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) was a Sierra Leonean rebel group that fought the government during the country’s civil war from 1991 to 2002.

Foday Sankoh: Foday Sankoh was the Sierra Leonean soldier who founded and led the Revolutionary United Front. His leadership shaped the RUF’s founding, strategy, and political identity.
Blood diamond: A blood diamond is a diamond mined or traded to finance armed conflict or support abusive forces. The RUF used diamond revenues to obtain weapons and sustain its insurgency.
Sam Bockarie: Sam Bockarie was a senior RUF commander who led the group after Foday Sankoh’s arrest. Bockarie commanded RUF forces during some of the conflict’s most violent years.
Abuja Peace Agreement: The Abuja Peace Agreement was a 2000 agreement intended to end Sierra Leone’s civil war. Its failure to secure lasting peace prolonged the conflict before a revised agreement in 2001.
Armed Forces Revolutionary Council: The Armed Forces Revolutionary Council was a military junta that seized Sierra Leone’s government in 1997 and allied with the RUF. Its alliance with the RUF differed from the group’s insurgent origins and later fractured.
Sierra Leone Civil War: The 1991–2002 conflict between Sierra Leone’s government and armed groups, including the Revolutionary United Front. The RUF emerged as the principal rebel force in this broader war.
Child soldiers in Sierra Leone: Children forcibly recruited by armed groups in Sierra Leone, including the RUF, during the civil war. The RUF abducted and coerced children into combat and other roles.
Issa Sesay: Issa Sesay was an RUF commander who led the movement after Sam Bockarie’s departure. Sesay represented the RUF in disarmament and peace negotiations.
Lomé Peace Agreement: The Lomé Peace Agreement was a 1999 accord between Sierra Leone’s government and the Revolutionary United Front. It offered the RUF power-sharing and amnesty, but fighting resumed soon afterward.
Civil Defence Forces: The Civil Defence Forces were pro-government militias, including the Kamajors, that fought in Sierra Leone’s civil war. They opposed the RUF and drew support from communities targeted by its forces.

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