1994 Rwanda Genocide

The 1994 Rwanda Genocide was a tragic and brutal mass slaughter that occurred over approximately 100 days, from April to July 1994, in the East African country of Rwanda. The genocide was carried out by the Hutu majority government against the Tutsi minority and moderate Hutus. The violence erupted following the assassination of President Juvénal Habyarimana, an event that led to a devastating cascade of killings orchestrated by Hutu extremists. During this period, an estimated 800,000 to 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were killed. The genocide ended when the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a Tutsi-led rebel group, took control of the country and established a new government aimed at national unity and reconciliation. Despite the efforts at reconciliation and justice, including the establishment of the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR) and local Gacaca courts, Rwanda continues to deal with the deep scars left by this atrocity.