Purpose The authors made a retrospective analysis of three triage situations of war wounded in Chad and Rwanda in which mass casualties overwhelmed available medical facilities. Methods The triage classification is based on the waiting period for surgery. The categories are: extreme, first, second and third emergencies, expectant, walking wounded. Results In Chad, 23 wounded adults were received in 24 hours, and 19 were operated up on within 48 hours. In Rwanda 1, 94 wounded were received in two hours, of whom 68 were operated upon, 23 on the first day. In Rwanda 2, 59 wounded were received in 12 hours, treatment of extreme and first emergencies required 48 hours, while second and third emergencies were treated during the three following days. Conclusions These episodes were very different when considering the setting, the number of casualties, the type of wounds, the logistical and medical difficulties. The authors report the difficulties faced and the lessons learned.