Hundreds of people gathered in rural Liberia on Friday for the state funeral of former President Samuel Doe, 35 years after his assassination.
The ceremony, attended by President Joseph Boakai, is part of the country’s ongoing reconciliation efforts over its violent past. Doe’s brutal torture and murder in 1990 marked a significant turning point in Liberia’s two civil wars, which killed around 250,000 people and devastated the economy.
The funeral was held at Doe’s family estate in southeastern Grand Gedeh County, where he will be laid to rest alongside his wife Nancy, who passed away in May.
The event is seen as a step towards national reconciliation, with President Boakai declaring a period of mourning and flags being flown at half-mast.