Who captured and sold Africans into slavery?

Africans were captured and sold into slavery by various groups, including rival African tribes and kingdoms, who would often raid neighboring communities for captives. European traders and colonial powers played a significant role by establishing trade networks and incentivizing these raids. The transatlantic slave trade facilitated the transport of enslaved Africans to the Americas, where they were sold to work on plantations and in various industries. This brutal system was driven by the demand for labor in the New World and the profit motives of both African and European participants.