This timeline details all the main wars that have been fought in Africa
264 BCE to 241 BCE
First Punic War
Fought between: Rome against Carthage
Location: North Africa, Italy, Mediterranean
Result: Roman Victory
Location: North Africa, Italy, Mediterranean
Result: Roman Victory
218 BCE to 201 BCE
Second Punic War/Hannibalic War
Fought between: Rome against Carthage
Location: Western Mediterranean, North Africa
Result: Roman Victory
Location: Western Mediterranean, North Africa
Result: Roman Victory
149 BCE to 146 BCE
Third Punic War
Fought between: Rome against Carthage
Location: Carthage (Tunisia)
Result: Roman Victory
Location: Carthage (Tunisia)
Result: Roman Victory
533 to 534
Vandalic War (Part of the Germanic Wars)
Fought between: Byzantine Empire against Vandalic Kingdom
Location: Libya, Tunisia, East Algeria, Sardinia
Result: Byzantine victory
Location: Libya, Tunisia, East Algeria, Sardinia
Result: Byzantine victory
Summer 1248 to March 1254
Seventh Crusade (Part of The Crusades)
Fought between: Muslims against Christians led by King Louis IX of France
Location: Egypt
Result: Muslim victory
Location: Egypt
Result: Muslim victory
July 1270 to 30th October 1270
Siege of Tunis/Eighth Crusade (Part of The Crusades)
Fought between: Muslims against Christians led by King Louis IX of France
Location: Ifriqiya (Tunisia)
Result: Death of Louis IX, removal of Crusaders from Ifriqiya, opening of trade with Ifriqiya
Location: Ifriqiya (Tunisia)
Result: Death of Louis IX, removal of Crusaders from Ifriqiya, opening of trade with Ifriqiya
July 1798 to October 1799
Egypt Campaign (Precursor to the Napoleonic Wars)
Fought between: France against Great Britain, Ottoman Empire
Location: Egypt, Mediterranean
Result: French defeat
Location: Egypt, Mediterranean
Result: French defeat
11th January 1879 to 4th July 1879
Anglo-Zulu War
Fought between: British Empire against Zulu Kingdom
Location: South Africa
Result: British victory
Location: South Africa
Result: British victory
20th December 1880 to 23rd March 1881
First Boer War
Fought between: British Empire against South Africa Republic
Location: South Africa
Result: South African Republic victory
Location: South Africa
Result: South African Republic victory
November 1883 to September 1898
Mahdist War
Fought between: Mahdist Sudan against British Empire, Egypt, Belgium, Italy, Ethiopia
Location: Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda
Result: Sudan defeat
Location: Egypt, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Sudan, Uganda
Result: Sudan defeat
11th October 1899 to 31st May 1902
Second Boer War (South African War)
Fought between: British Empire against South African Republic, Orange Free State
Location: South Africa
Result: British victory
Location: South Africa
Result: British victory
1939, 1st September to 1945, 2nd September
World War II North Africa (Desert War)
Fought between: Axis Powers – Germany, Italy against Allies- United Kingdom, United States, French Algeria, French Tunisia, French Morocco, Australia, Canada, Greece, New Zealand, Poland, Yugoslavia, Czechoslovakia
Location: North Africa
Result: Allied Victory
Location: North Africa
Result: Allied Victory
1954, 1st November to 1962, 19th March
Algerian War
Fought between: Algeria against France
Location: Algeria
Result: Algeria gained independence from France
Location: Algeria
Result: Algeria gained independence from France
1967, 30th May to 1970, 15th January
Biafran War/ Nigerian Civil War
Fought between: Biafran Republic against Nigeria
Location: Nigeria
Result: Biafran defeat, Biafra became part of Nigeria
Location: Nigeria
Result: Biafran defeat, Biafra became part of Nigeria
1996, 24th October to 16th May 1997
First Congo War
Fought between: Zaire, Sudan and Rwandan forces against Alliance of Democratic Forces for Liberation of the Congo (ADFL) – Rwanda, Uganda, Burundi, Angola and Eritrea supported by the USA
Location: Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Sudan, Uganda
Result: ADFL Victory
Location: Zaire (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Sudan, Uganda
Result: ADFL Victory
1998, 2nd August to 2003, 18th July
Second Congo War (Great War of Africa)
Fought between: Democratic Republic of the Congo, Angola, Chad, Namibia and Zimbabwe against Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi
Location: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Result: Stalemate
Location: Democratic Republic of the Congo
Result: Stalemate
2009, 31st January, ongoing
War in Somalia (Part of the War Against Terror) (Part of the Somalian Civil War)
Fought between: Somalia, Ethiopia against Al-Qaida, Mujahedeen
Location: Somalia, North Kenya
Location: Somalia, North Kenya
2009, 26th July, ongoing
War against Boko Haram
Fought between: Nigeria against terrorist group Boko Haram
Location: Northern Nigeria, Northern Cameroon, South Niger, West Chad
Location: Northern Nigeria, Northern Cameroon, South Niger, West Chad
2010, 18th December to 2011, 14th January
Tunisian Revolution/ Jasmine Revolution (Part of the Arab Spring)
Fought between: Ben Ali government against Popular protests, demonstrations, strikes, self-immolation
Location: Tunisia
Result: Overthrow of Ben Ali and move to democracy
Location: Tunisia
Result: Overthrow of Ben Ali and move to democracy
2011, 25th January to 2011, 11th February
Egyptian Revolution (Part of the Arab Spring)
Fought between: Hosni Mubarak government against Popular protests, demonstrations, strikes, self-immolation
Location: Egypt
Result: Fall of Mubarak government, move to democratic elections
Location: Egypt
Result: Fall of Mubarak government, move to democratic elections
2011, 27th January to 2012, 27th February
Yemeni Revolution (Part of the Arab Spring)
Fought between: Saleh government against Popular protests, demonstrations, strikes, self-immolation
Location: Yemen
Result: Overthrow of the Saleh government, lack of unity led to ongoing Yemen Civil War
Location: Yemen
Result: Overthrow of the Saleh government, lack of unity led to ongoing Yemen Civil War
2011, 15th February to 2011, 23rd October
First Libyan Civil War (Part of the Arab Spring)
Fought between: Pro-Gaddafi Forces against National Liberation Army, Qatar, NATO
Location: Libya
Result: Victory for National Liberation Army
Location: Libya
Result: Victory for National Liberation Army
2012, 16th January, ongoing
Northern Mali Conflict
Fought between: Mali Government, France, Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau. Ivory Coast, Liberia, Niger, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Senegal, Togo, Chad, Burundi, Gabon, South Africa, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, China, Germany, Sweden and Estonia against the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad against Al-Quaeda
Location: Northern Mali
Location: Northern Mali
2012, 10th December is ongoing
Central African Republic Civil War
Fought between: Central African Republic, France, South Africa against Rebel forces
Location: Central African Republic
Location: Central African Republic
2013, 15th December to 2020, 22nd February
South Sudanese Civil War
Fought between: South Sudan against United Nations Protection force against rebel forces
Location: South Sudan
Result: Ceasefire
Location: South Sudan
Result: Ceasefire
2014, 16th May to 2020 3rd October
Second Libyan Civil War
Fought between: Rival factions for control of the government – House of Representatives, Government of National Accord, National Salvation Government and Islamic State
Location: Libya
Result: Permanent ceasefire
Location: Libya
Result: Permanent ceasefire
2018, 2nd April, ongoing
Ethiopian Civil Conflict
Fought between: Rival factions
Location: Ethiopia
Location: Ethiopia
First published 2015; updated and re-published Jan 27 2022 @ 12:46 pm – Updated – [last-modified]
Harvard Reference for this page:
Heather Y Wheeler. (2015 – 2022). Wars Fought in Africa 264 BCE to Present.