On July 9, 2002, the Second Congo War formally ended after a peace agreement was signed between the warring factions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The war, which had been ongoing since 1998, involved multiple African nations and militias and was considered one of the deadliest conflicts since World War II. The fighting resulted in an estimated 5.4 million deaths, mostly from disease and starvation, and displaced millions of people. Despite the peace agreement, violence continued for years, and the country remains unstable. The war had far-reaching implications for the entire Central African region.