Battles & Wars › Modern conflicts › Rwandan genocide
Second Congo War
August 1998 – July 2003· War· Middle East & Africa
Well documentedSolid records, physical evidence or scientific consensus.
A 1998–2003 war in DR Congo that drew in nine African countries and, by many estimates, killed millions, mostly through disease and hunger.
See it on the Battles & Wars map →What happened
After the Rwandan genocide, Hutu militants fled into Zaire. Rwanda and Uganda backed Laurent-Désiré Kabila's rebellion, which toppled dictator Mobutu Sese Seko in 1997 (the First Congo War). When Kabila turned on his backers in 1998, they invaded again, while Angola, Zimbabwe and Namibia fought for him. Dozens of armed groups joined in, often fighting over minerals such as diamonds, gold and coltan. A 2002 peace deal and a 2003 transitional government ended the main war, though fighting continues in the east.
Why it matters
Sometimes called 'Africa's World War', it was among the deadliest conflicts since 1945, yet drew little world attention.
How we know
Mortality surveys by the International Rescue Committee, UN expert-panel reports on mineral plundering, human-rights investigations and the UN Mapping Report (2010).
Still debated
Death-toll estimates range from under a million to over 5 million; the higher survey-based figures have been challenged by other researchers.
Connections (2)
▸Rwandan genocide spilled over into Second Congo WarWell documented
The connection
As the RPF won in 1994, more than a million Hutu, including many perpetrators of the genocide, fled into camps in Zaire and launched raids into Rwanda. Rwanda and Uganda invaded in 1996 to destroy them, toppling Mobutu in the First Congo War. When the new leader Kabila broke with them, they invaded again in 1998.
When and how
Eastern Zaire, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, around the border cities of Goma and Bukavu, 1994–1998.
How we know
UN refugee agency records, UN reports including the 2010 Mapping Report, and Rwandan and Ugandan officials' own statements document the link.
Debates and open questions
Whether Rwanda's later role was mainly about security or also mineral profits is debated, as are killings of Hutu refugees by Rwandan-backed forces.
▸Second Congo War is often called the deadliest conflict since World War IIMostly agreed
The connection
Survey-based estimates put deaths from the Congo wars and their aftermath at up to 5.4 million, mostly from disease and malnutrition, which would make it the deadliest conflict since World War II. The figure drew attention to a war the world had largely ignored.
When and how
Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1998–2007; mortality surveys by the International Rescue Committee, published from 2000 to 2008.
How sure are we?
The IRC estimated 5.4 million 'excess deaths' from 1998 to 2007, a longer period than the main war itself.
Debates and open questions
Other researchers, notably the 2010 Human Security Report, argue the toll was far lower; if so, the Korean or Vietnam wars may hold the title.