| 1985 Liberian coup d'état attempt | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
Alleged support: | |||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| Unknown | 500–600 | ||||||
The1985 Liberian coup d'état attempt was staged by GeneralThomas Quiwonkpa, who had been a leader of the1980 coup along with PresidentSamuel Doe and later founder of theNational Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL). On 12 November 1985, one month afterelections were held, Quiwonkpa, supported by about two dozen heavily armed men, covertly enteredLiberia throughSierra Leone, and launched a coup against Doe. The coup resulted in a disastrous failure and Quiwonkpa was captured and on November 15 was killed and mutilated byKrahn soldiers loyal to Doe,[1] who reportedly ate parts of his body.[2]
Samuel Doe also announced in a radio and television broadcast that anyone found on the streets after a 6 p.m. curfew would be considered a rebel and executed immediately.
Following the coup attempt, Doe's forces massacred thousands of civilians in retaliation.[3]