The Second Congo War,[a] also known as Africa's World War[9] or the Great War of Africa, was a major conflict that began on 2 August 1998 in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, just over a year after the First Congo War. 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. The war drew in nine African nations and approximately 25 armed groups, making it one of the largest wars in African history.[10]
The Second Congo War and its aftermath caused an estimated 5.4 million deaths, primarily due to disease and malnutrition,[12] making it the deadliest conflict since World War II, according to a 2008 report by the International Rescue Committee.[13] However, this figure has been disputed, with some researchers arguing that many of the deaths may have occurred regardless of the war and that the actual death toll was closer to 3 million.[14] The conflict also displaced approximately 2 million people, forcing them to flee their homes or seek asylum in neighboring countries.[11] Additionally, the war was heavily funded by the trade of conflict minerals, which continues to fuel violence in the region.[15][16]
^ abcPrunier, Gérard (2009). Africa's World War: Congo, The Rwandan Genocide, and the Making of a Continental Catastrophe. Oxford University Press. p. 306. ISBN978-0199754205.
^"Africa's great war". The Economist. 4 July 2002. Archived from the original on 5 February 2007. Retrieved 7 February 2007.
^Prunier, Gérard (2009). Africa's World War: Congo, The Rwandan Genocide, and the Making of a Continental Catastrophe. Oxford University Press. p. 290. ISBN978-0199754205.
^"Archived copy"(PDF). Archived(PDF) from the original on 27 September 2013. Retrieved 25 June 2013.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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