Sierra Leone’s civil war lasted from 1991 until 2002. It was marked by exceptional levels of cruelty and suffering. During this civil war the United Nations, neighboring West African states, and the United Kingdom launched military interventions into Sierra Leone. The United Kingdom’s intervention was called Operation Palliser. In September 2000 eleven British soldiers participating in Operation Palliser were captured by a militia gang known as the West Side Boys. When it became clear negotiating with the West Side Boys was proving futile, the British decided to take military action to free their soldiers. William Fowler’s “Operation Barras” tells the story of what happened.