Rwandans Pay Tribute to Genocide Victims, 20 Years Later

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By Anita Li2014-04-07 21:25:25 -0400

Rwandans marked on Monday the 20th anniversary of a devastating genocide that resulted in the deaths of nearly 1 million people.

For three months, starting on April 6, 1994, extremist Hutus targeted Rwanda's minority Tutsi population and moderate Hutus, killing them in machete and gunfire attacks. Approximately 150,000 to 250,000 women were also raped, according to the United Nations. The killings continued until July 4, 1994, when the Rwandan Patriotic Front took military control of Rwanda.

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On Monday, thousands gathered at Amahoro Stadium, a sports stadium in Kigali, to honor victims of the Rwandan Genocide.

"As we pay tribute to the victims, both the living and those who have passed, we also salute the unbreakable Rwandan spirit in which we owe the survival and renewal of our country," Rwandan President Paul Kagame said at the public event, according to the Associated Press.

We've compiled a gallery of striking images from the event, below:

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Topics: genocide, US & World, World