Darfur, War in
2003 CE to Now
The War in Darfur (called the Darfur Genocide by the United States Government) is a military conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan.
Unlike the Second Sudanese Civil War, the current lines of conflict are seen to be ethnic and tribal, rather than religious.
One side of the armed conflict is composed mainly of the Sudanese military and the Janjaweed, a militia group recruited mostly from the Arab Baggara tribes of the northern Rizeigat, camel-herding nomads.
The other side comprises a variety of rebel groups, notably the Sudan Liberation Movement and the Justice and Equality Movement, recruited primarily from the land-tilling non-Arab Fur, Zaghawa, and Massaleit ethnic groups.
The Sudanese government, while publicly denying that it supports the Janjaweed, has provided money and assistance to the militia and has participated in joint attacks targeting the tribes from which the rebels draw support.
The conflict begins in February of 2003.The combination of decades of drought, desertification, and overpopulation are among the causes of the Darfur conflict, because the Baggara nomads searching for water have to take their livestock further south, to land mainly occupied by non-Arab farming communities.
There are many casualty estimates most concurring on a range within the hundreds of thousands of people.
The United Nations estimates that the conflict has left as many as 400,000 dead from violence and disease.
The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum estimates that 100,000 have died each month because of government attacks.
Most non-governmental organizations use 200,000 to more than 400,000; the latter is a figure from the Coalition for International Justice.
Sudan's government claims that over 9,000 people have been killed, although this figure is seen as a gross underestimate.
As many as 2.5 million are thought to have been displaced as of October 2006.
The Sudanese government has suppressed information by jailing and killing witnesses since 2004 and tampered with evidence such as mass graves to eliminate their forensic values.
In addition, by obstructing and arresting journalists, the Sudanese government has been able to obscure much of what has gone on.
The United States government has described it as genocide, although the UN has stated it is not genocide.
In March 2007, the UN mission accuses Sudan's government of orchestrating and taking part in "gross violations" in Darfur and calls for urgent international action to protect civilians there.
After fighting stops in July and August, on August 31, 2006, the United Nations Security Council approves Resolution 1706 which calls for a new 20,600-troop UN peacekeeping force called UNAMID to supplant or supplement a poorly funded and ill-equipped 7,000-troop African Union Mission in Sudan peacekeeping force.
Sudan strongly objects to the resolution and says that it would see the UN forces in the region as foreign invaders.
The next day, the Sudanese military launches a major offensive in the region.
Related Events
Showing 6 events out of 6 total
The Near East, 1996 to 2007 CE: Crisis, Conflict, and Political Shifts
Sudan: Darfur Crisis and International Intervention
The turn of the millennium marks a turbulent period for Sudan, especially the Darfur region, where a new rebellion led by the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) erupts in 2003. The rebels accuse the government of neglecting Darfur, sparking violent conflict. In response, government-aligned Janjaweed militias carry out widespread atrocities, causing a devastating humanitarian crisis, the Darfur Food Crisis. Tens of thousands perish, and millions become displaced, many fleeing to neighboring Chad.
In April 2004, under pressure from international communities, negotiations in N'Djamena lead to a fragile Humanitarian Ceasefire Agreement. However, violence persists, prompting the African Union (AU) to deploy ceasefire monitors, initially just a few hundred soldiers, but eventually expanding to about seven thousand under the African Union Mission in Sudan (AMIS). Yet, the crisis deepens, drawing greater international attention.
On September 18, 2004, the United Nations Security Council issues Resolution 1564, condemning Sudan's government for its continued military attacks and calling for expanded international monitoring. Negotiations remain strained until August 2006, when the Security Council passes Resolution 1706, authorizing a robust seventeen-thousand-strong peacekeeping force. Resistance from the Sudanese government delays deployment, eventually leading to a hybrid African Union–United Nations peacekeeping effort in Darfur.
Meanwhile, Sudan faces profound internal transformations. The National Islamic Front under Hasan al-Turabiintensifies its "top-down" Islamization policy. Educational reforms emphasize Islamic teachings, societal restrictions tighten, and the government supports jihadist ideologies, controversially sheltering figures like Osama bin Laden until his departure. Sudan’s economy struggles under international pressure and internal conflicts.
Cyprus: Divided Entry to the European Union
Cyprus, long divided between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, faces critical decisions in the early 2000s. In 2000, the European Union agrees to admit Cyprus, hoping membership would foster reunification. However, in 2004, a UN-brokered peace settlement referendum sees overwhelming rejection by Greek Cypriots despite Turkish Cypriot acceptance. Consequently, Cyprus enters the European Union as a divided island, with EU membership effectively suspended for Northern Cyprus.
Egypt: Persistent Political Struggles and Terrorism
Throughout this era, Egypt faces significant internal turmoil under President Hosni Mubarak. Terrorist activities escalate, particularly targeting tourists and the Coptic Christian minority, severely impacting tourism and domestic stability. Despite economic growth in sectors like agriculture and industry, rapid population growth continues to strain resources, amplifying poverty and urban overcrowding, notably around metropolitan Cairo, now home to over twenty million people.
In 2005, Mubarak introduces modest political reforms, allowing Egypt’s first multi-candidate presidential election. However, these reforms are limited, and Mubarak comfortably wins re-election amidst allegations of electoral interference. Post-election repression continues, exemplified by the imprisonment of prominent opposition figures such as Ayman Nour.
Israeli-Palestinian Conflicts and Fragile Peace Efforts
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict sees cycles of intense violence and diplomacy. The Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon finally concludes in 2000, but regional tensions continue. The Second Palestinian Intifada breaks out, lasting from 2000 to 2005, significantly escalating hostilities. Efforts to revive peace negotiations lead to diplomatic agreements such as the Wye River Memorandum (1998) and subsequent discussions, but deep-rooted animosities impede lasting resolutions.
In 2006, the conflict within Palestinian factions escalates dramatically. The Fatah-Hamas conflict intensifies, culminating in the Battle of Gaza in 2007, effectively splitting the Palestinian territories between Hamas-controlled Gaza and Fatah-governed West Bank.
Chad-Sudan Cross-border Tensions
Cross-border tensions between Sudan and Chad escalate during this period, exacerbated by the Darfur conflict and resulting refugee crises. Armed skirmishes and mutual accusations of supporting rebel movements destabilize the region, contributing further to the broader humanitarian crisis.
Legacy of Instability
From 1996 to 2007, the Near East experiences continued political upheaval, significant humanitarian disasters, and profound shifts in regional alliances and internal politics. These events lay the groundwork for ongoing tensions and challenges, underscoring the complex interplay between internal conflicts, regional power dynamics, and international intervention.
The rebels accuse the central government of neglecting the Darfur region, although there is uncertainty regarding the objectives of the rebels and whether they merely seek an improved position for Darfur within Sudan or outright secession.
Both the government and the rebels have been accused of atrocities in this war, although most of the blame has fallen on Arab militias (Janjaweed) allied with the government
The rebels have alleged that these militias have been engaging in ethnic cleansing in Darfur, and the fighting has displaced hundreds of thousands of people, many of them seeking refuge in neighboring Chad.
There are various estimates on the number of human casualties, ranging from under twenty thousand to several hundred thousand dead, from either direct combat or starvation and disease inflicted by the conflict.
However, the conflict continues despite the ceasefire, and the African Union (AU) forms a Ceasefire Commission (CFC) to monitor its observance.
In August 2004, the African Union sends one hundred and fifty Rwandan troops in to protect the ceasefire monitors.
It soon becomes apparent that one hundred and fifty troops will not be enough, so they are joined by one hundred and fifty Nigerian troops.
It welcomes the intention of the African Union to enhance its monitoring mission in Darfur and urges all member states to support such efforts.
During 2005 the African Union Mission in Sudan force is increased to about seven thousand.
In the following months, however, UNMIS is not able to deploy to Darfur due to the Government of the Sudan's steadfast opposition to a peacekeeping operation undertaken solely by the United Nations.
The UN now embas on an alternative, innovative approach to try to begin stabilize the region through the phased strengthening of AMIS, before transfer of authority to a joint African Union/United Nations peacekeeping operation.
Following prolonged and intensive negotiations with the Government of the Sudan and significant international pressure, the Government of the Sudan finally accepts the peacekeeping operation in Darfur.