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Second Liberian Civil War
Part of Liberian Civil War
Government soldiers defending a bridge in central Monrovia.
Date 1999-2003 Location Liberia Result Exile of Charles G. Taylor to Nigeria, installment of a UN-backed transitional government
Combatants
Armed Forces of Liberia	Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy Movement for Democracy in Liberia Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group
Commanders
Charles Taylor	Sekou Conneh Thomas Nimely
Casualties
150,000 people killed

The Second Liberian Civil War began in 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighbouring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), emerged in northern Liberia. In early 2003, a second rebel group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia, emerged in the south, and by June-July of 2003, Charles Taylor's government controlled only a third of the country. The capital Monrovia was besieged by LURD, and that group's shelling of the city resulted in the deaths of many civilians. Thousands of people were displaced from their homes as a result of the conflict. Image File history File links Question_book-3. ... Charles Taylor, a leader of the NPFL and later President of Liberia. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Monrovia in the 1800s. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other persons named Charles Taylor, see Charles Taylor (disambiguation). ... The Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL) is the military of Liberia. ... Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) was a rebel group in Liberia that had been active since 1999. ... The Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) is a rebel group in Liberia that has been active since early 2003. ... Map of ECOMOG members as of 2005. ... For other persons named Charles Taylor, see Charles Taylor (disambiguation). ... Sekou Conneh Sekou Damate Conneh, Jr. ... Thomas Nimely (born 1956) is a Liberian politician. ... This article is about the year. ... Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) was a rebel group in Liberia that had been active since 1999. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) is a rebel group in Liberia that has been active since early 2003. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... For other persons named Charles Taylor, see Charles Taylor (disambiguation). ... Monrovia in the 1800s. ... The Siege of Monrovia, Liberia in 2003 was a major military confrontation between the Liberian army and LURD rebels. ...

Overview of the war

A new civil war began in 1999 when a rebel group backed by the government of neighboring Guinea, the Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), emerged in northern Liberia. Opponents of Charles Taylor moved their center of operations to Lofa province, in the north near the Guinea border. Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD) was a rebel group in Liberia that had been active since 1999. ... Charles Taylor may refer to: // Charles G. Taylor (born 1948), a former president of Liberia and Bentley College graduate Charles Taylor (Texas) (1805–1865), signer of Texas Declaration of Independence [1] Charles John Taylor, New Zealand politician of the 1850s Charles Taylor (UK politician) (1910–1989), British politician and MP...

By the spring of 2001 the insurgents were posing a major threat to the Taylor government. Liberia was now engaged in a complex three-way conflict with Sierra Leone and the Guinea Republic. By the beginning of 2002, both of these countries were supporting the latest addition to the lexicon of Liberian guerrilla outfits – Liberians United for Reconciliation and Democracy (LURD), while Taylor was supporting various opposition factions in both countries. By supporting Sierra Leonean rebels, Taylor also drew the enmity of the British and Americans (see Sierra Leone section).

In early 2003, a second rebel group, the Movement for Democracy in Liberia, emerged in the south, and by the summer of 2003, Taylor's government controlled only a third of the country. Despite some setbacks, by mid-2003 LURD controlled the northern third of the country and was threatening the capital. The capital Monrovia was besieged by LURD, and that group's shelling of the city resulted in the deaths of many civilians. Thousands of people were displaced from their homes as a result of the conflict. Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Movement for Democracy in Liberia (MODEL) is a rebel group in Liberia that has been active since early 2003. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Monrovia in the 1800s. ...

Yet another group, the Ivoirian-backed MODEL, held a block of territory in the south. By the beginning of August, after a two-month siege, LURD had overrun parts of Monrovia.

The United States of America sent a small number of troops to bolster security around their embassy in Monrovia, which had come under attack. The U.S. also stationed a Marine Expeditionary Unit with 2300 Marines offshore while Nigeria sent in peacekeepers as part of a Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) force. Monrovia in the 1800s. ... A Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) is the smallest Marine Air-Ground Task Force in the United States Marine Corps. ... The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a regional group of fifteen countries, founded on May 28, 1975 when fifteen West African countries signed the Treaty of Lagos. ...

President Taylor resigned on August 11, 2003 as part of a peace agreement and was flown into exile in Nigeria. An arrest warrant for Taylor for war crimes committed by his rebel allies in Sierra Leone was later issued by Interpol but Nigeria has since refused to deport him unless they receive a specific request from Liberia. Vice-President Moses Blah replaced Taylor prior to the installation of a transitional government on October 14, 2003. However, the transitional government exercised no real authority in the country, 80% of which was controlled by the rebel groups. is the 223rd day of the year (224th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Revolutionary United Front (RUF) was a rebel army that fought a failed ten-year insurrection in Sierra Leone, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Moses Zeh Blah (born April 18, 1947) was named President of Liberia on August 11, 2003, following the resignation of Charles Taylor. ... is the 287th day of the year (288th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

United Nations peacekeeping

On September 11, 2003, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan recommended the deployment of the peacekeeping mission, the United Nations Mission in Liberia, to maintain the peace agreement. The UN Security Council approved the mission on September 19. UNMIL was made up of over 15,000 personnel, including both military and civilian troops. The bulk of the personnel were armed military troops, but there were also civilian policemen, as well as political advisers and humanitarian aid workers. On October 1, United Nations peacekeepers replaced the ECOWAS force, although some of the personnel were the same. During three days of riots in Monrovia in October 2004, nearly 400 people were wounded and 15 killed. The UN currently has a number of personnel in the country — 5500 are projected to be in place by November — and is working to disarm the various factions. However, instability in neighbouring countries, an incomplete disarmament process, and general discontent threatens Liberia's fragile peace. is the 254th day of the year (255th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Kofi Atta Annan (born April 8, 1938) is a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh Secretary-General of the United Nations from January 1, 1997 to January 1, 2007, serving two five-year terms. ... UNMIL is the acronym for the United Nations Mission in Liberia, a peace-keeping force for Liberia, which was established by Resolution 1509 of the United Nations Security Council in 2003. ... A session of the Security Council in progress The United Nations Security Council is the most powerful organ of the United Nations. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Siege of Monrovia
• First Liberian Civil War

The Siege of Monrovia, Liberia in 2003 was a major military confrontation between the Liberian army and LURD rebels. ... Combatants Armed Forces of Liberia United Liberation Movement of Liberia for Democracy National Patriotic Front of Liberia Independent National Patriotic Front of Liberia Commanders Samuel Doe† Charles Taylor Prince Yormie Johnson The First Liberian Civil War was a conflict in Liberia from 1989 until 1996. ...

External links

• United Nations Mission in Liberia website