The Army for the Liberation of Rwanda (ALIR) is a paramilitary group that emerged during the Rwandan Genocide in 1994. Also known as the Armée pour la Libération du Rwanda, it was composed primarily of ethnic Hutus and was involved in several military and guerrilla operations in an attempt to overthrow the ruling government and regain control over Rwanda.
The ALIR was formed as a result of deep-seated animosity and political tensions between the Hutu majority and the Tutsi minority in Rwanda. It aimed to combat the predominance of the Tutsi-led Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) and resist their advances towards Kigali, the capital city. The group gained notoriety for its participation in the genocide, during which an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus were brutally killed.
The ALIR's tactics included both conventional warfare and acts of terrorism, such as indiscriminate killings and systematic massacres, primarily targeting the Tutsi population. It operated alongside other extremist groups like the Interahamwe and Impuzamugambi, both responsible for orchestrating mass violence against ethnic Tutsis.
Ultimately, the ALIR's campaign for liberation ended in failure. The RPF, under the leadership of Paul Kagame, successfully overthrew the Hutu-led government and brought an end to the genocide. The ALIR disintegrated, and its leadership either faced justice for their crimes or went into hiding.
Due to its central role in perpetrating the Rwandan Genocide, the Army for the Liberation of Rwanda is widely condemned as a genocidal force responsible for unspeakable atrocities.
