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Janjaweed is the local name for militia forces drawn mainly from the nomadic tribes of the area and blamed for much of the killing in Darfur. (Reuters Photo) |
The conflict in Sudan's western region of Darfur developed into its current shape in February 2003 when rebel groups demanded a greater share of the country's resources.
According to the UN, the conflict has left some 300,000 people dead and forced more than two million from their homes. The Sudanese government says the death toll is much lower.
This is a chronology of the main events:
2003 February-April - Darfur rebels attack several towns.
The Khartoum government sends in troops, and there are attacks by pro-government militia known as Janjaweed, with entire villages reported as being razed.
2003 October - The United Nations seeks urgent aid for thousands of refugees crossing the border from Darfur into Chad to the west.
2004 April - A UN official describes the campaign against Darfur's non-Arab population as "ethnic cleansing."
The Sudanese government signs a ceasefire with the two main rebel groups after talks in neighbouring Chad.
2004 June - US Secretary of State Colin Powell visits the region. Khartoum promises to crack down on the Janjaweed, but violence continues.
2004 July - The African Union decides to send in a protection force, and the first troops arrive in August.
2004 September - The United States describes atrocities being committed in Darfur as "genocide," although this assessment is not shared by the UN.
2005 January - The UN Security Council says individuals who commit atrocities in Darfur can be sent before the International Criminal Court.
2005 June - Khartoum, seeking to head off international action, sets up its own tribunal.
2005 September - Peace talks open in Nigeria. Later in the month an attack kills 75 people, mostly civilians, in a town in eastern Chad.
2006 March - The African Union agrees in principle to have its 7,000-strong force, which has suffered from funding problems, replaced by UN troops.
2006 May - The government and the main faction of the Sudanese Liberation Movement (SLM) sign a peace deal, but two key rebel groups refuse to sign.
2006 August - Sudanese President Omar al-Beshir maintains his refusal to allow a UN force to deploy in the region.
2007 May - The International Criminal Court issues its first arrest warrants over Darfur, for a Sudanese minister and a Janjaweed militia leader. Khartoum says the court has no jurisdiction.
2007 July - Sudan accepts the deployment of a hybrid African Union-United Nations force to Darfur. It is to be called UNAMID and comprise some 26,000 troops.
2007 September - Ten members of the African Union force are killed in one of the deadliest attacks to date.
2007 October - The UN and the African Union prepare to open new peace talks in Sirte, Libya, but only one rebel group clearly says it will attend.
Islamist Darfur rebel group the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) kidnaps two expatriate workers from a strategic Darfur oilfield four days before the October 27 Sirte talks, which it calls a "masquerade."
2008 May – JEM rebels make a lightning attack that reaches outskirts of Khartoum. About 65 people are killed.
2008 July – Luis Moreno-Ocampo, ICC prosecutor, asks judges for an arrest warrant for Bashir on crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes in Darfur.
2008 October, 16 – Bashir pledges more cooperation with UNAMID to secure the passage of aid convoys, along with up to $350 million of spending on development in the region.
2008 October, 21 – UN says up to 300,000 people have died in Darfur and some 2.5 million have fled their homes since 2003.
2008 November – Bashir announces a ceasefire in the region but JEM rebels say the announcement is not serious and vow to fight on.
2008 December – Sudan government sends more troops to Darfur border as a preventive measure, it says, against rebel threat.
2009 February – Sudanese army declares the capture of a town in Darfur after three weeks of clashes with Jem fighters.
Qatar hosts first peace talks in nearly two years between Sudanese government and Jem rebels over the Darfur conflict.
2009 March – ICC is to announce its final decision on issuing an arrest warrant against President Bashir.
Sources:
• Reuters
• AFP
• AlJazeera.net
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