Q&A: The Darfur Crisis

How did the conflict start?

The conflict in Darfur, a name that translates as the land of the Fur - the largest tribe in the region - erupted in 2003 when Darfurians rebelled against the central government in the capital, Khartoum, over its alleged favoritism to Arabs over Africans.

The government fought back, allegedly unleashing the Janjaweed (meaning men on horseback) militia to quell the uprising. Khartoum consistently denies arming or supporting the Janjaweed.

What else lies behind the conflict?

Dwindling resources are important. Less than a generation ago, Arabs and Africans coexisted peacefully and productively in Darfur, Sudan's arid western province, which is more than twice the size of the UK. African farmers let Arab herders graze their camels and goats on the land because the livestock fertilised the soil.

In the mid-80s, however, a severe drought and famine ravaged Sudan and the Horn of Africa region. The famine left more than 1 million people dead, killing off much of the livestock. Herders had to choose whether to maintain their way of life or take up farming - either route led to clashes with farmers. Both sides armed themselves to defend their interests, and fighting erupted.
How bad is the situation?

More than 200,000 people have been killed in Darfur, with at least 2.2 million others displaced in fighting between rebels, government troops and the Janjaweed.

The conflict has caused a humanitarian crisis, with millions now dependent on aid, and the turmoil has spread to neighbouring Chad. The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said his visit to a refugee camp last month had left him "shocked and humbled".

Who is behind the violence?

Human rights groups blame the Janjaweed for most atrocities, including the use of rape as a weapon of war. They also claim government aircraft and helicopters have laid waste whole villages.

However, the UN says the destruction of villages by the Janjaweed, which was widespread in 2003 and 2004, has been reduced. Clashes between government troops and rebels still take place, but rival rebel groups are now fighting each other - ostensibly to win more bargaining power ahead of proposed talks, UN officials say.

What are the prospects for peace?

There are some hopeful signs. Abdalmahmood Abdalhaleem Mohamad, the Sudanese ambassador to the UN, this week said Khartoum would announce a ceasefire ahead of the talks, which are taking place in Sirte, the hometown of the Libyan leader, Muammar Gadafy.

However, a key Darfur rebel chief, Abdul Wahid al-Nur, refuses to attend. The founder of the Sudanese Liberation Army last month boycotted a meeting of other rebel factions in Arusha, Tanzania.

Khalil Ibrahim, of the rebel Justice and Equality movement, is also threatening a boycott unless the UN and the African Union can persuade the SLA to unite its factions behind the negotiations.

Why the SLA boycott?

The SLA leader claims peace talks should be held only after the deployment of a new peacekeeping force.

After much prevarication, President Omar al-Bashir of Sudan last month agreed to the deployment of a hybrid African Union-UN force of 26,000 peace keepers to replace the under-resourced and ineffective 7,000-strong AU contingent. Hundreds of rebels overran an AU camp in Darfur earlier this month, killing at least 10 soldiers. Fifty others remain unaccounted for.

When will the new peacekeeping force go in?

Deployment is scheduled for this year, but the US says Sudan is not making land available for the troops and is "not satisfied" with Khartoum's alleged failure to approve the make-up of the new force.

The US has urged Mr Bashir to approve the force "as quickly as possible", stressing that it is predominantly African, with Africa providing 90% of troops - a key Sudanese demand.

The situation has been complicated by a call from Osama bin Laden, the al-Qaida leader, for Muslims to wage "jihad" against peace keepers. In a speech released this week, Bin Laden said of foreign troops in Sudan: "This is a brazen occupation, and only an infidel apostate seeks it or agrees to it."