The Darfur Conflict

Thousands of people have died in Darfur, but what is the source of the conflict?

People have referred to the conflict as an “ethnic cleansing” and a “genocide”. Although the United Nations has not done so, the United States government has labeled the conflict as a genocide.

The Darfur conflict is a constant religious conflict in the Darfur region of western Sudan, between the Janjaweed (Arab) and the non-Baggara (African) people of the region. Sudan’s government, while denying that it supports the Janjaweed, has provided money and assistance and has participated in joint attacks systematically targeting ethnic groups, such as, the Fur, Zaghawa, and Massaleit, in Darfur. The conflict began in July 2003. Unlike in the Second Sudanese Civil War, which was fought between the primarily Muslim Christian and Animist, in Darfur most of the residents are Muslim.

Estimated number of deaths in the conflict have ranged from 50,000 (2004) to 500,000 (February 6, 2007). As many as 2.5 million people have been displaced.