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Sierra Leone RUF rebels sentenced | Sierra Leone RUF rebels sentenced |
(about 2 hours later) | |
An international tribunal has jailed three former Sierra Leone rebel leaders for a total of nearly 120 years. | |
All three were senior leaders in the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and were convicted of overseeing atrocities during Sierra Leone's civil war. | All three were senior leaders in the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) and were convicted of overseeing atrocities during Sierra Leone's civil war. |
Issa Sesay was sentenced to 52 years, Morris Kallon to 40 years and Augustine Gbao to 25 years. | |
They were found guilty in February of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the 1991-2001 conflict. | They were found guilty in February of war crimes and crimes against humanity committed in the 1991-2001 conflict. |
Tactics favoured by the rebels included amputating hands and arms or carving the initials RUF into the bodies of their victims. | Tactics favoured by the rebels included amputating hands and arms or carving the initials RUF into the bodies of their victims. |
It is the last case to be held in the capital, Freetown, at the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone. | It is the last case to be held in the capital, Freetown, at the UN-backed Special Court for Sierra Leone. |
The RUF trial began in mid-2004 and the court heard how the rebel leaders were involved in the rape, mutilation and killings of civilians. | The RUF trial began in mid-2004 and the court heard how the rebel leaders were involved in the rape, mutilation and killings of civilians. |
The RUF was notorious for using the so-called Small Boys Units - child soldiers forcibly recruited and issued with AK-47 assault rifles - who had a reputation for particular cruelty among the civilian population. | The RUF was notorious for using the so-called Small Boys Units - child soldiers forcibly recruited and issued with AK-47 assault rifles - who had a reputation for particular cruelty among the civilian population. |
By the time the conflict ended, tens of thousands of people had been killed while tens of thousands were left mutilated, their arms, legs, noses or ears cut off. | |
Thirteen people were originally indicted by the tribunal, but RUF rebel leader Foday Sankoh and his deputy commander Sam Bockarie died before coming to trial. | Thirteen people were originally indicted by the tribunal, but RUF rebel leader Foday Sankoh and his deputy commander Sam Bockarie died before coming to trial. |