Edition: U.S. / Global

World Briefing | Africa: Sierra Leone: War Is Over, Both Sides Say

Published: January 19, 2002

Government officials and rebel leaders declared a decade-long civil war over as they watched thousands of weapons burn on a ceremonial bonfire. More than 50,000 people died in the war and thousands more were maimed by the Revolutionary United Front rebels, who hacked off the arms and feet of civilians. The ceremony came after months of work on a peace plan brokered by the United Nations. The former rebel leader, Foday Sankoh, is in government custody and is expected to be indicted on charges of war crimes, but a front official said the group would probably name him as its presidential candidate in an election scheduled for May.