Siege of Freetown

The siege of Freetown was a battle during the Sierra Leone Civil War. It began when Johnny Paul Koroma took over the power^[1] from Ahmad Tejan Kabbah and began a dictatorship.^[2] In response, ECOMOG troops, led by Nigeria, helped the Sierra Leone Army to attack and remove Koroma from power and Kabbah was elected back in post. In revenge, Koroma's allies, the RUF, assaulted the city but were forced to retreat.^[3]

Battle of Freetown
Part of the Sierra Leone Civil War
Map of Sierra Leone
Date 25 May 1997 – 6 February 1998 Location Sierra Leone, Freetown Result ECOMOG victory Koroma is deposed and Kabbah restored
Belligerents
Sierra Leone AFRC RUF	Kabbah loyalists Nigeria (leading ECOMOG forces)
Commanders and leaders
Johnny Paul Koroma Foday Sankoh	Ahmad Tejan Kabbah Maxwell Khobe

In fiction

The battle was portrayed in the film Blood Diamond (taking place in 1999, in spite of the RUF take over happening in 1997).