Darfur, Sudan
Sudan sent 10,000 troops swooping into Darfur this week to attack villages held by rebels. The offensive by the Arab-led government in Khartoum appears to be an attempt to wipe out rebel forces so that Sudan does not have to allow the deployment of a U.N. peacekeeping force. Last week the U.N. Security Council authorized the creation of an international force of 20,000, but the Sudanese president, Omar al-Bashir, rejected the U.N. deployment, calling it “part of a comprehensive conspiracy for confiscating the country’s sovereignty.” The current peacekeeping force of 7,000 African Union soldiers has been unable to protect civilians, and Sudan ordered it to leave when its mandate expires at the end of this month. Fighting between rebels and the government-backed Janjaweed militia has killed more than 200,000 people, and forced 2 million from their homes.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
One great cookbook: Joshua McFadden’s ‘Six Seasons of Pasta’the week recommends The pasta you know and love. But ever so much better.
-
Scientists are worried about amoebasUnder the radar Small and very mighty
-
Buddhist monks’ US walk for peaceUnder the Radar Crowds have turned out on the roads from California to Washington and ‘millions are finding hope in their journey’
