Background Darfur
Darfur was originally an independent Sultanate, which dated from the late fourteenth or early fifteenth century. Between 1916 and 1956 it was ruled by the Anglo-Egyptian Condominium. Since Darfur became a region of Sudan in 1956, it has been politically and economically marginalized by the Arab central government in Khartoum. Darfur has suffered from maladministration, underdevelopment, famine and violent conflicts.

Causes of the conflict
Historical tensions between farmer tribes (Fur, Masalit, Zaghawa) and nomads about scarce water and land has frequently led to conflicts in Darfur. Desertification and periods of droughts reinforced this in recent years. Existing mechanisms in Darfur for conflict resolution have been weakened by the central government of Sudan. Furthermore, the government in Khartoum has polarized the Arab and non-Arab tribes in Darfur, although differences in skin colour and language barely exist.

Fighting parties
Frustrated by the economic and political marginalization by Khartoum, two rebel groups, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) and the Sudan Liberation Army/Movement (SLA/M) attacked government installations in February 2003. They got a broad base of support across non-Arab tribes in Darfur. The government had most of its own troops located in the south and encouraged Arab militias (from camel-herding tribes in Darfur and immigrants from Chad), Janjaweed, to fight opponents in Darfur.

Consequences
These militias launched a campaign that also targeted thousands of civilians. This devastating civil war between rebel groups and a coalition of government troops and Janjaweed militias has caused at least 300,000 deaths and 2,7 million displacements. A UN international commission of inquiry (2005) found evidence that severe crimes against humanity were committed by government troops and the Janjaweed, including systematic killings of civilians, sexual violence, forced displacements, torture and enforced disappearances. Reports of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch and the International Crisis Group confirm these crimes. Some countries, including the United States, called the situation in Darfur genocide. The conflict is also threatening the stability of eastern Chad.

Response of the international community
The international community reacted slowly to the crisis in Darfur. Meanwhile, African actors mediated peace negotiations between the fighting parties; the N’Djamena Ceasefire Agreement was signed on 8 April 2004. Resolutions of the UN Security Council included sanctions at Sudan (although not effectively implemented) and referred the situation in Darfur to the International Criminal Court. It has authorized an African Union peacekeeping mission (AMIS) to monitor the N’Djamena ceasefire. This ceasefire was repeatedly violated by all parties.
On 6 May 2006 the Darfur Peace Agreement (DPA) was signed by the government of Sudan and one rebel group. During the course of the conflict, rebel groups splintered into many factions and the situation became more complex. Rebel groups were not only fighting with Arab militias, but were increasingly targeting each other. AMIS has largely failed to keep the peace in Darfur because of lack of resources, a weak mandate, insufficient troop levels, equipment and logistics.
After the signing of the DPA, the Security Council decided in August 2006 that the mandate of the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Sudan (UNMIS) would be expanded to the territory of Darfur. The government of Sudan rejected this. Instead, it only agreed to a three-phase plan: by strengthening AMIS with a light support package, followed by a heavy support package that would be turned eventually into a hybrid AU-UN operation.

Recent developments
At this time only 10,000 of the supposed 26,000 UNAMID peacekeepers are employed. Renewed peace negotiations are going very slowly and have not led to anything. The situation in Darfur is still very unstable. In July 2008 the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, accused the Sudanese president Al Bashir of committing genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes in Darfur. On 4 March 2009 the ICC issued an arrest warrant for al-Bashir. Only for genocide there was not enough evidence, but he is prosecuted for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Al-Bashir is the first head of state that is in office which is indicted by the ICC. The decision is opposed by the African Union, League of Arab States, Non-Aligned Movement, and the governments of Russia and China, and the Sudanes governement is unlikely to execute the warrant.

Sources:
De Waal, A. (ed.) (2007) War in Darfur and the Search for Peace, Cambridge: Harvard.
International Commission of Inquiry on Darfur (2005) Report to the United Nations Secretary General pursuant to Security Council Resolution 1564 of 18 September 2004. 
Prunier, G. (2005) Darfur, the Ambiguous Genocide. London: Hurst & Co.
Tjepkema, A. (2007) ‘Soedan: Symbiose van Groepsbelang en Desintegratie’, Atlantisch Perspectief 31(7).
Totten, S. and Markusen, E. (eds) (2006) Genocide in Darfur. Investigating the Atrocities in the Sudan. New York: Routledge.