RUF
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Proper noun: - Revolutionary United Front: A terrorist organization founded in Sierra Leone during the 1980s. Its stated aims were to overthrow the existing government and seize control of the country's diamond-producing areas. The RUF became notorious for its brutal tactics, including attacks on civilians, widespread use of torture and murder, and the forcible conscription of children as soldiers to commit atrocities. It received support from the president of Liberia.
Usage
- The RUF was a major belligerent in the Sierra Leone Civil War.
- International efforts were made to disarm the RUF and end the conflict.
- The atrocities committed by the RUF were documented by human rights organizations.
Advanced Usage
- "RUF rebels" / "RUF forces": Commonly used to specify the armed fighters of the group.
- The capital was threatened by advancing RUF forces.
- "RUF-controlled" / "RUF-held": Used to describe territories under the group's authority.
- Access to humanitarian aid was blocked in RUF-held territories.
Variants and Related Words
- RUF/AFRC: Refers to the period when the RUF formed a junta with the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council after a 1997 coup.
- Sierra Leone Civil War: The conflict (1991-2002) in which the RUF was a primary faction.
Synonyms
- Rebel group
- Insurgent group
- Faction (in the specific context of the Sierra Leone Civil War)
Related Terms
- Child soldier: A key and tragic feature of the RUF's methodology.
- Conflict diamonds / blood diamonds: Illicit diamonds mined and sold to fund the RUF's war effort.
- ECOMOG: The military force of the Economic Community of West African States that intervened against the RUF.
Noun
- a terrorist group formed in the 1980s in Sierra Leone; seeks to overthrow the government and gain control of the diamond producing regions; responsible for attacks on civilians and children, widespread torture and murder and using children to commit atrocities; sponsored by the president of Liberia