Rwandan Genocide

Rwandan President Juvénal Habyarimana is killed when his plane is shot out of the sky.

Hutu extremists begin killing their political opponents.(the tutsis)

Massacre at Gikondo - hundreds of Tutsis are killed in the Pallottine Missionary Catholic Church. Since the killers were clearly targeting only Tutsi, the Gikondo massacre was the first clear sign that a genocide was occurring.

Massacre at the Nyarubuye Roman Catholic Church - thousands of Tutsi are killed, first by grenades and guns and then by machetes and clubs.

The Kibuye Massacres. An estimated 12,000 Tutsis are killed after sheltering at the Gatwaro stadium in Gitesi. Another 50,000 are killed in the hills of Bisesero. More are killed in the town's hospital and church.

Approximately 250,000 people, mostly Tutsi, flee to neighboring Tanzania.

The RPF takes control of the presidential palace.

The French establish a safe zone in the southwest corner of Rwanda.

Approximately one million people, mostly Hutu, begin fleeing to Zaire (now called the Democratic Republic of the Congo).

The Rwandan Genocide ends when the RPF gains control of the country.