Embattled Liberian President Charles Taylor stepped down Aug. 11 and went into exile in Nigeria, spurred by pressure from the U.S. and a massive rebel push that threatened capital city Monrovia with starvation.

Taylor was also indicted for crimes against humanity in June by the United Nations-backed Sierra Leone war crimes court stemming from his role in aiding rebel group Revolutionary United Front during Sierra Leone's civil war. RUF funneled diamonds from Sierra Leone through Taylor's Liberia, which Taylor used to purchase weapons for the rebels at a profit. Taylor became a focal point in the illegal diamonds-for-guns trade, and was implicated in helping terrorist group al Qaeda buy diamonds to launder funds.

Questions remain as to who will lead Liberia. The interim government is not scheduled to take the reigns of power until October. Until then, Taylor's appointed successor, Moses Blah, will head the government. Complicating matters, two main rebel groups no longer have a common enemy in Taylor. The only stated aim of either group was to overthrow Taylor's regime. Political experts on the region express fear the rebels could go to war with each other, as happened in 1990 when the then-ruling regime was toppled, leading to six years of civil war.


by Bill Donahue