Rwanda genocide
Over just 100 days in 1994, ethnic Hutu extremists killed about 800,000 people in an attempt to exterminate Rwanda’s minority Tutsi community, which had long dominated the country.
The international community did little to stop the killings.
The slaughter was brought to an end by the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a Tutsi-led rebel group.
1990
Rebels of RPF invade Rwanda from Uganda.
1994
Apr 6 Rwandan President Habyarimana — an ethnic Hutu negotiating peace with RPF — is killed with the president of Burundi Cyprien Ntaryamira when their plane is shot down as it is about to land at Kigali Airport.
Apr 7 Immediately, Hutu extremists seize control of the army and government. The armed forces and militia begin a systematic killing of Tutsis and moderate Hutus.
UN forces, unwilling to breach their mandate, fail to intervene.
Apr 8 RPF launch a major offensive to end the killings and rescue 600 of its troops based in Kigali.
April 9-10 French, Belgian and US civilians are rescued by their governments. 1
UN reduces its forces in the first weeks of the massacre to just 270 troops.
100,000 killed (Red Cross est.).
Mid-May 500,000 killed (Red Cross).
May 17 UN Security Council mentions ‘genocide’ in a resoluton and commits
5500 troops. The operation is delayed over financing issues between US and UN.
May 22 RPF forces gain control over Kigali Airport and the north and east of the Rwanda.
June 23 France launches UN-sanctioned Operation Turquoise to set up safe zones, but the killing of Tutsis continues in this area. 2
Jul 4 Backed by Uganda’s army, the RPF — led by Paul Kagame 3 — captures Kigali. The RPF advances across the country and by July 18 declares the war is over.
Death toll est. at 800,000.
Two million Hutus flee to Zaire, sparking nine-year conflict that draws in six countries and claims 5 million lives.