Darfur: 2003 – 2005

Darfur is a region in the west of Sudan, bordering Chad, in north-east Africa. Before the conflict Darfur had an ethnically mixed population of around 6 million black Africans and Arabs.

In 2003, a civil war began in the region between the sedentary population of black African farmers and the lighter-skinned nomadic Arab population. The Sudanese Government supported Arab militia – the Janjaweed – who destroyed hundreds of villages and murdered thousands of people. These atrocities have been condemned as genocide by the International Criminal Court and several governments around the world.

The genocide resulted in the murder of approximately 200,000 people, although estimates vary and this figure could be much higher. International peacekeepers, aid agencies and the media have struggled to keep accurate records or find accurate information. Around 2.5 million people were displaced at this time. They were forced to flee their homes to makeshift refugee camps in Darfur and Chad run by international aid agencies.

Although these initial atrocities occurred between 2003-2005, to this day violence is ongoing within the region and the situation continues to evolve.

Watch our video to learn more about Sudan’s genocide in Darfur and countrywide persecution and atrocities.