Start of the Rwandan Civil War

On October 1, 1990, the Rwandan Civil War began when the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF), a rebel group made up primarily of Tutsi exiles, launched an invasion from Uganda into northern Rwanda. The RPF was led by Major General Fred Rwigyema, a Tutsi refugee who had fled Rwanda as a child during the 1959 Hutu Revolution, when thousands of Tutsis were killed or driven into exile. The RPF’s objective was to overthrow the Hutu-led government of President Juvénal Habyarimana and secure the right of return for Tutsi refugees, who had lived in exile for decades. They also sought to end ethnic discrimination and political repression under the Habyarimana regime, which had marginalized Tutsis since Rwanda’s independence in 1962. The initial RPF offensive suffered a setback when Fred Rwigyema was killed on October 2, 1990, just one day after the invasion began. Leadership of the RPF was later taken over by Paul Kagame, who would eventually lead the group to victory. In response to the invasion, Habyarimana’s government, with the support of French and Zairian (Congolese) troops, launched a brutal crackdown on Tutsis and suspected RPF sympathizers inside Rwanda. Thousands of Tutsis were arrested, tortured, or killed, as the government portrayed all Tutsis as collaborators with the rebels. The war dragged on for nearly four years, with periods of heavy fighting and ceasefires, until it culminated in the assassination of President Habyarimana on April 6, 1994, which triggered the Rwandan Genocide. During the genocide, 800,000 to 1 million Tutsis and moderate Hutus were slaughtered in just 100 days. The RPF, under Paul Kagame, resumed its offensive during the genocide, eventually defeating the Hutu-led government and taking control of Kigali on July 4, 1994, effectively ending both the genocide and the civil war. The Rwandan Civil War was not just a military conflict; it was deeply intertwined with Rwanda’s ethnic tensions, political struggles, and colonial legacy, and its consequences continue to shape Rwanda’s society and politics today. #RwandaHistory #RwandanCivilWar #RPF #PaulKagame #FredRwigyema #Habyarimana #TutsiExile #RwandanGenocide #EastAfrica #MomentsOfLife #MoofLife_Moment #MoofLife