Origins & Early Life

Foday Saybana Sankoh (17 October 1937 – 29 July 2003) was a Sierra Leonean rebel leader who was the founder and commander of the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel group, which was supported by the Charles Taylor-led NPFL in the 11-year-long Sierra Leone Civil War, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002. An estimated 50,000 people were killed during the war, and over 500,000 people were displaced into neighboring countries. Sankoh, belonging to the Temne tribe, was born into a poor farming family in Northern Sierra Leone. In 1956 he joined the Royal West African Forces and trained as a cameraman and a wireless operator reaching the rank of corporal.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

In 1971, he was arrested and imprisoned for seven years for joining a coup plot against Siaka Stevens. He was also reportedly a student leader, later traveling to Libya in the 1980s to train under the Libyan president Muammar Gaddafi. In 1991 Sankoh returned to Sierra Leone and sponsored by Liberian rebel Charles Taylor he launched a civil war against the government of Sierra Leone. In 1997 he was arrested in Nigeria on weapons charges, but had been released by July 1999 to sign the Lomé peace agreement. This agreement...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Andrew Mellon — Contemporary (Died in 1937) (1937): American banker, industrialist, and politician who served as Secretary of the Treasury.
• Anthony Hopkins — Contemporary (Born in 1937) (1937): Esteemed Welsh actor celebrated for powerful stage and screen performances.
• Antonio Gramsci — Contemporary (Died in 1937) (1937): Italian Marxist philosopher known for his theory of cultural hegemony.
• Alberto Sordi — Contemporary (Died in 2003) (2003): Pillar of Italian Cinema, master of Commedia all'italiana comedy.
• Barry White — Contemporary (Died in 2003) (2003): Iconic R&B, Soul, and Disco Singer known for his powerful bass voice.
• Benny Carter — Contemporary (Died in 2003) (2003): Jazz composer, arranger, and saxophonist known for his long and influential career.
• Adam Michnik — Shared historical date (10-17 · Born) (1946): Prominent Polish intellectual, dissident, and journalist advocating for democracy.
• Arthur Miller — Shared historical date (10-17 · Born) (1915): A towering figure of 20th-century American theater and essayist.
• Alexis de Tocqueville — Shared historical date (07-29 · Born) (1805): French philosopher known for analyzing Western democracy and social trends.
• Benito Mussolini — Shared historical date (07-29 · Born) (1883): Italian dictator who founded fascism and ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 to 1943.
• 1937 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1937
• October 17 (10-17) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on October 17
• 2003 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 2003
• July 29 (07-29) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on July 29