Darfur: A Short History of a Long War

Sudan's westernmost region, Darfur, sprang into notoriety early in 2004 when a war of hideous proportions unleashed what the United Nations called 'the world's worst humanitarian crisis'. For the last two years, the conflict has been simplified to pictures of sprawling refugee camps and lurid accounts of 'Arabs' murdering 'Africans.' Behind these images lies a complex story of a remote region of Africa. This book details the history of Darfur, its conflicts, and the designs on the region by the governments in Khartoum and Tripoli. It investigates the identity of the infamous 'Janjawiid' militia and the nature of the insurrection, charts the unfolding crisis and the international response, and concludes by asking what the future holds in store.