The Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) is a political party and military group in Rwanda that played a key role in ending the 1994 Rwandan Genocide. The RPF was initially formed in 1987 by Rwandan exiles, primarily from the Tutsi ethnic group, who had fled the country after the 1959 Hutu-led revolution that overthrew the Tutsi monarchy. The group was largely composed of Tutsi refugees living in Uganda.
The RPF’s military wing, the Rwandan Patriotic Army (RPA), launched an invasion of Rwanda in 1990, aiming to overthrow the then Hutu-led government and address the marginalization of Tutsis in the country. The invasion resulted in a civil war between the RPF and the government forces.
In 1994, during the genocide, in which an estimated 800,000 people, mostly Tutsis and moderate Hutus, were killed, the RPF made significant advances and ultimately took control of the country, ending the genocide. The RPF, led by Paul Kagame, who became the country’s Vice President and Minister of Defense, established a new government.
Since then, the RPF has been the dominant political force in Rwanda. Under Kagame’s leadership, the party has overseen Rwanda’s recovery and development, focusing on economic growth, infrastructure development, and national reconciliation, although it has also faced criticism for suppressing political opposition and limiting freedoms.
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