Civil War in Liberia

16 Nov 1992, Caldwell, Liberia --- Nigerian soldiers from ECOMOG patrol the Caldwell front during the Liberian Civil War. In 1989, Charles Taylor, leader of the NPFL (National Patriotic Front of Liberia), launched a revolt against the regime of Samuel Doe. By the end of 1990, the NPFL controlled 90% of Liberian territory. The NPFL began to disarm in early 1992, but clashed with ECOMOG, a peacekeeping force from the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), and in August was attacked by ULIMO from Sierra Leone. In September, the NPFL launched an all-out assault on ECOMOG forces in Monrovia. The siege temporarily shut down all transportation in or out of the capital and killed thousands of civilians in the crossfire. ECOMOG responded offensively, bombing NPFL positions outside the city. --- Image by © Patrick Robert/Sygma/Corbis