Paul Kagame vs Qasem Soleimani

Kagame led the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) in a civil war against the Hutu-led government. The war ended with the Arusha Accords in 1993, but the peace was short-lived.

Kagame's RPF captured Kigali and ended the 100-day genocide that killed an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. The RPF victory stopped the massacres but also led to reprisal killings.

Kagame's Rwanda invaded Zaire (DRC) twice, supporting rebel groups and exploiting Congolese resources. The wars caused millions of deaths and destabilized the Great Lakes region.

Kagame implemented economic reforms that led to rapid growth, with Rwanda becoming one of Africa's fastest-growing economies. He focused on technology, infrastructure, and attracting foreign investment.

Kagame became President of Rwanda, succeeding Pasteur Bizimungu. He formed a government of national unity, including Hutus in key positions, to promote reconciliation after the genocide.

Kagame oversaw a constitutional referendum that removed term limits, allowing him to run for a third term in 2017. Critics accused him of entrenching authoritarian rule.

Qasem Soleimani was appointed commander of the Quds Force, the elite foreign operations branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), in 1998. Under his leadership, the Quds Force expanded Iran's influence across the Middle East, supporting allied groups in Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen.

Soleimani was instrumental in organizing Iraqi Shia militias and coordinating with Iraqi security forces to counter the Islamic State (ISIS) after its 2014 offensive. He provided strategic advice and logistical support, helping to turn the tide against ISIS. His role made him a hero in Iran and among Shia communities, but a target for the US and its allies.

On January 3, 2020, Soleimani was killed in a US drone strike near Baghdad International Airport, ordered by President Donald Trump. The strike also killed Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, leader of the Iraqi Kata'ib Hezbollah. The assassination escalated tensions between the US and Iran, leading to Iranian missile strikes on US bases in Iraq.