By July 18, 1994, the Rwandan genocide had left more than 800,000 people dead, and the country was in a state of complete social and political collapse. The killing of ethnic Tutsis by Hutu extremists had led to widespread massacres throughout the country. Refugees sought shelter in makeshift camps, and the international community failed to intervene in time to prevent the violence. The genocide was characterized by brutal methods of mass execution, including machete attacks and rape. The Rwandan Genocide remains one of the most horrific human rights atrocities of the 20th century.