The Conflict

Conflict continued in the Congo following the 1997 civil war that brought Laurent Kabila to power. The many different ethnic groups in Congo and the large refugee population led to general unrest and periodic brutality. A large number of countries neighboring the Congo were involved, leading the war to be labeled the "African World War."

Ethnic

• Many different ethnic groups live in Congo, and most of the political affiliations are based on ethnicity.

Political

• The Rwandan massacre created a huge influx of refugees, many of which supported Kabila's bid for power.
• Angola's interest in the war is to protect its own security. Uganda is concerned about protecting its own borders and about protecting its allies, the Rwandan Tutsi. Many other neighboring countries are involved in the war.

In...