Abdel Fattah el-Sisi vs Laurent Nkunda

As Minister of Defense, General el-Sisi led the Egyptian military in removing President Mohamed Morsi from power after mass protests. He suspended the constitution and installed an interim government, sparking a crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood.

Following the coup, el-Sisi oversaw a severe crackdown on the Muslim Brotherhood, including the violent dispersal of sit-ins at Rabaa al-Adawiya and Nahda squares that killed hundreds. Thousands were arrested, and the group was designated a terrorist organization.

El-Sisi announced a major expansion of the Suez Canal, creating a new 35-kilometer waterway parallel to the existing canal. The project was completed in one year and aimed to increase canal capacity and boost Egypt's economy.

El-Sisi won the presidential election with 96.9% of the vote, though the election was criticized for lacking genuine opposition. His presidency consolidated military rule and launched major infrastructure and economic projects.

El-Sisi's government secured a $12 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund and implemented austerity measures, including floating the Egyptian pound and cutting fuel subsidies. The reforms stabilized the economy but caused inflation and hardship for many Egyptians.

Laurent Nkunda founded the CNDP, a Tutsi-led rebel group in eastern DRC, claiming to protect the Tutsi minority from Rwandan Hutu militias. The CNDP quickly became a major military force, fighting the Congolese army and controlling large areas of North Kivu.

Nkunda participated in the Goma peace conference, which aimed to end the conflict in eastern DRC. He signed a peace deal with the government, but the agreement quickly collapsed, and Nkunda resumed fighting, accusing the government of failing to implement the deal.

Nkunda was captured by Rwandan forces during a joint Rwandan-Congolese military operation. He was placed under house arrest in Rwanda, where he remained for years, effectively ending his military campaign. His capture was controversial, with allegations of a deal between Rwanda and the DRC.