Historical eventMay 171997

First Congo War

The First Congo War came to an end when Laurent-Désiré Kabila proclaimed himself president of Zaire, which was also renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Everything on May 17Original source

In context

When
Saturday, May 17 199729 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
20th century · 1990s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: 1996-10-24 – 1997-05-16.

Place: Zaire.

Type: war.

Key figures / parties: Zaire, National Union for the Total Independence of Angola, Army for the Liberation of Rwanda, Interahamwe, Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo, Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi.

What came before

Part of: Congo Civil War.

Background Decline of Zaire Further information: Zaire and 1991 Zaire unrest Mobutu Sese Seko , long-time dictator of Zaire An ethnic Ngbandi , Mobutu came to power in 1965 and enjoyed support from the United States government because of his anti-communist stance while in office. However, Mobutu's totalitarian rule and corrupt policies allowed the Zairian state to decay, evidenced by a 65% decrease in Zairian GDP between independence in 1960 and the end of Mobutu's reign in 1997. [ 1 ]

Timeline

Course of the war 1996 See also: Massacres of Hutu refugees during the First Congo War With active support from Rwanda, Uganda, [ 1 ] and Eritrea, [ 2 ] Kabila's AFDL was able to capture 800 x 100 km [ clarification needed ] of territory along the border with Rwanda, Uganda, and Burundi by 25 December 1996. [ 1 ] The occupation temporarily satisfied the rebels, because it gave them power in the east and allowed them to defend themselves against the former génocidaires .

What happened

Aftermath Main article: Second Congo War See also: Republic of the Congo Civil War (1997–1999) The new Congolese state under Kabila's rule proved to be disappointingly similar to Zaire under Mobutu. The economy remained in a state of severe disrepair and deteriorated further under Kabila's corrupt rule. [ 1 ] He failed to improve the government, which continued to be weak and corrupt. Instead, Kabila began a vigorous centralisation campaign,

The First Congo War, also known as Africa's First World War, was a civil and international military conflict that lasted from 24 October 1996 to 16 May 1997, primarily taking place in Zaire. The war resulted in the overthrow of Zairean President Mobutu Sese Seko, who was replaced by rebel leader Laurent-Désiré Kabila. This conflict, which also involved multiple neighboring countries, set the stage for the Second Congo War (1998–2003) due to tensions between Kabila and his former allies.

May 17 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 19951995 San Diego tank rampage
  2. 1997Laurent-Désiré Kabila
  3. 1997First Congo War
  4. 20002000 UEFA Cup semi-final violence
  5. 2000Arsenal F.C.
  6. 2004Massachusetts
  7. 2004Same-sex marriage
  8. 2006USS Oriskany
  9. 2007North Korea
  10. 2010Pamir Airways Flight 112
  11. 20142014 Lao People's Liberation Army Air Force An-74 crash

Also in 1997

  • May 11Deep Blue (chess computer)Deep Blue defeated Garry Kasparov in six games to become the first chess computer to win a match against a world champion.
  • September 11NASANASA's Mars Global Surveyor reaches Mars.
  • September 11Kurkse tragedyKurkse tragedy: Fourteen Estonian soldiers of the Baltic Battalion are drowned or die of hypothermia during a training exercise in the Ku…
  • September 111997 Scottish devolution referendumAfter a nationwide referendum, Scotland votes to establish a devolved parliament within the United Kingdom.
  • September 13German Air ForceA German Air Force Tupolev Tu-154 and a United States Air Force Lockheed C-141 Starlifter collide in mid-air near Namibia, killing 33.
  • September 14Howrah–Ahmedabad Superfast ExpressEighty-one killed as five bogies of the Ahmedabad–Howrah Express plunge into a river in Bilaspur district of Madhya Pradesh, India.
  • September 18Ted TurnerUnited States media magnate Ted Turner donates US$1 billion to the United Nations.
  • September 18Ottawa TreatyThe Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention is adopted.

Everything we record for 1997 →

Sources

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“First Congo War”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/first-congo-war-1997-may-17, accessed October 24, 2026.

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Questions about this entry

When did First Congo War happen?

May 17 1997 — 29 years ago, on a Saturday.

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