Part 9/14:
The civil war erupted in 1989 and raged for 14 tumultuous years, marked by horrific violence, massacres, and widespread destruction. Charles Taylor, a former rebel leader and half-American Liberian, emerged as a prominent figure. His armed rebellion, the National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), attracted support from marginalized tribes and exploited ethnic divisions.
The conflict saw the rise of child soldiers, atrocities against civilians, and the systematic destruction of villages. Over 200,000 lives were lost, and a million people displaced. Multiple factions fought over territory, each with differing ethnic allegiances, leading to a fractured and unstable nation.