Foday Sankoh Biography

Historical biography and chronological timeline for Foday Sankoh, based on 11 World History Database records associated with Sierra Leone.

11 records1991–200011 events7 places

Chronological biography

1991

RUF Offensive23 March 1991

Warfare / Sierra Leone Civil War · Leader of RUF · Kailahun

Foday Sankoh leads the Revolutionary United Front into Kailahun District

Diamond Areas TargetedJune 1991

Warfare / Sierra Leone Civil War · Leader of RUF · Kono

RUF advances toward diamond-producing districts that become central to the war

1993

RUF Guerrilla WarJune 1993

Warfare / Sierra Leone Civil War · Leader of RUF · Eastern Sierra Leone

RUF continues guerrilla warfare and attacks rural communities

1994

Civilian AbusesJuly 1994

Warfare / Sierra Leone Civil War · Leader of RUF · Eastern Sierra Leone

RUF violence against civilians intensifies in rebel-held areas

1995

RUF Near FreetownJanuary 1995

Warfare / Sierra Leone Civil War · Leader of RUF · Freetown

RUF pressure threatens the capital before government counteroffensives

1996

Abidjan Agreement30 November 1996

Warfare / Sierra Leone Civil War · Leader of RUF · Abidjan

Foday Sankoh signs peace agreement with the Sierra Leone government

1998

Rebel CampaignDecember 1998

Warfare / Sierra Leone Civil War · Leader of RUF · Kono

RUF and AFRC forces intensify attacks before the Freetown assault

1999

Diamond Commission RoleJuly 1999

Government / Government of Sierra Leone · Chairman of Strategic Resources Commission · Freetown

Lome settlement gives Sankoh a powerful role over strategic mineral resources

Lome Peace Agreement7 July 1999

Warfare / Sierra Leone Civil War · Leader of RUF · Lome

Foday Sankoh signs the Lome Peace Agreement with the government

2000

UN Hostage CrisisMay 2000

Warfare / Sierra Leone Civil War · Leader of RUF · Makeni

RUF fighters seize UN peacekeepers and threaten the peace process

Arrest of Sankoh17 May 2000

Warfare / Sierra Leone Civil War · Former Leader of RUF · Freetown

Sankoh is captured and detained after the RUF hostage crisis

Titles and roles

Chairman of Strategic Resources Commission · Former Leader of RUF · Leader of RUF

Record provenance

This biography is assembled from World History Database records filtered by country and personal-name fields. Exact duplicate display records are removed. The database is an index rather than a complete narrative biography; formal research should verify entries against relevant primary or specialist sources.