The following is a survey of global conflicts and their status as of October 1998.

Africa

Democratic Republic of Congo—In a bloodless May 1997 coup, rebels led by Laurent Kabila overthrew Mobutu Sese Seko—the dictator of Congo (the former Zaire) for 32 years. But after failing to keep his campaign promises, Kabila himself became the target of a revolt. The governments of Rwanda and Uganda which had supported Kabila’s coup decided in 1998 to support the rebels seeking to oust him. At the same time Angola and Zimbabwe, which have a financial stake in Kabila’s government, entered the civil war in support of Kabila.

Rwanda/Uganda—Rwanda is the home of two main ethnic groups—the majority Hutus and the minority Tutsis. Fighting in Rwanda between the Hutu-led government and the Tutsi-dominated...