The RUF was a rebel group formed in the late 1980s and fought against successive governments until the Lomé Peace Accord in 1997, in which it was given the status of a legitimate political party and its leader, Foday Sankoh, was appointed vice president.

[3][4] The RUF's subsequent march on the capital, Freetown, prompted a large-scale military intervention by the United Kingdom, which began on 8 May 2000 with an evacuation of foreign citizens (Operation Palliser).

To that end, the Pathfinder Platoon—a forward reconnaissance unit of the Parachute Regiment and part of 16 Air Assault Brigade[6]—established itself in the village of Lungi Lol, close to the airport and 12 miles (19 km) north of Freetown on the opposite side of the Sierra Leone River.

The RUF attacked with small arms and rocket-propelled grenades; the British returned fire and used mortars to illuminate the area.

British fears of a retaliatory attack by the RUF proved unfounded and the Ministry of Defence was able to order the first rotation of forces in Sierra Leone, which saw the Paras replaced by Royal Marines.