This book surveys the history of armed conflict in Africa in the period since decolonization and independence. The number of post-independence conflicts in Africa has been considerable, and this book introduces to readers a comprehensive analysis of their causes and character. Tracing the evolution of warfare from anti-colonial and anti-apartheid campaigns to complex conflicts in which factionalized armies, militias and rebel groups fight with each other and prey upon non-combatants, it allows the readers a new perspective to understand violence on the continent. The book is written to appeal not only to students of history and African politics, but also to experts in the policy community, the military and humanitarian agencies.

“Will Reno’s masterly study of African rebellion not only provides an indispensable guide to a chaotic and confusing field, but helps us to discern, through the fog of war, the still misty outlines of alternative kinds of politics that, at least in parts of the continent, are coming to displace the legacies of colonial rule.” – Christopher Clapham, Centre of African Studies, Cambridge University

“In this encyclopedic vade mecum of African rebel movements, ranging from anticolonial and majority-rule insurgents to reformist challengers, from ethno-regional warlords to parochial rebels, the author helps piece together a remarkably comprehensive picture of the dynamics of warfare in the continent. No one interested in keeping track of the convulsions that have swept across Africa can afford to ignore this important contribution.” – Rene Lemarchand, Professor Emeritus, University of Florida