Darfur (Arabic:"home of the Fur") is a region of far western Sudan, bordering the Central African Republic, Libya, and Chad. It is divided into three federal states within Sudan: Gharb Darfur (West Darfur), Janub Darfur (South Darfur), and Shamal Darfur (North Darfur). It is currently in the midst of an ongoing humanitarian crisis originating from the conflict between Janjaweed militias and rebel groups (namely the Sudan Liberation Movement and Justice and Equality Movement). ************************** The Darfur conflict is an ongoing armed conflict between the Janjaweed militia group and the mostly land-tilling tribes of the region.This is a controversial conflict as the media portrays the conflict to be between Muslims and non-Muslims. Although this specific conflict in Darfur has occurred already in 2003, the mentality behind the conflict stems from the 1960s and 1970s. The ideology of Arab supremacism grew in northern Africa. In the countries of North Africa, as well as many Arab nations, a secret group called “Tajamu al Arabi”, or the Arab Gathering, formed and would emerge in the Darfur region in the 1980s. The Sudanese government became involved in the 1990s, funding militia groups who were carrying out the attacks. It was not until early 2003 that the Non-Arab Africans began to combine their forces to protect themselves against the militia groups. Two of the main groups—the Sudan Liberation Army and the Justice and Equality Movement—combined to create the National Redemption Front. The Sudanese government, however, saw this uprising of Non-Arab Africans as a threat against the nation of Sudan and, thus began funding a group known as the Janjaweed to quell the rebellion of the National Redemption Front. However, due to the prospects of peace, a fraction of the Sudanese Liberation Army broke away from the National Redemption Front in order to come to a peace agreement with the Sudanese government—this prospect of peace would turn out to be an empty promise from the Sudanese government. An analysis in late 2006 concluded that "It is likely that the number of deaths for this conflict in Greater Darfur is higher than 200,000 individuals, and it is possible that the death toll is much higher." The conflict began in February 2003, when rebel groups began attacking government targets. The government retaliated by launching a military and police campaign. The government has been accused of encouraging a group of Arab nomads called the Janjaweed to rape, murder and loot the African farmers[3]. Because of this, more than 3,500,000 people have fled their homes. Unlike the Second Sudanese Civil War, which was fought between the primarily Muslim north and Christian and Animist south, in Darfur most of the residents are Muslim, as are the Janjaweed.***********Attempts at mediation by the African Union led to a peace accord between the Sudanese government and the largest rebel group in the Darfur region, signed May 5, 2006, but the United Nations says that there has actually been a dramatic increase in violence and displacement since the deal was signed . *********** Those who fled the Janjaweed now live in refugee camps across Darfur, as well as in neighboring Chad. About 2.5 million refugees have crossed the border into neighboring Chad. **************** Many Darfurian children, even in the refugee camps, are malnourished and starving to death. Aid workers and U.N. representatives in Darfur have been denied access to some of the camps. The Sudanese government has opposed the introduction of United Nations forces in Sudan, but conceded to a small UN delegation of 3000 in April 2007. *************** The United Nations has threatened military intervention, but the Sudanese government argues that it is caught in a continuing civil war and that no outside powers should seek to meddle in its internal affairs. ************** In January 2007, President Omar al-Bashir agreed to a cease-fire whereby the Sudanese "government and rebel groups will cease hostilities for a period of 60 days while they work towards a lasting peace" , however, according to the Save Darfur Coalition, this cease-fire was broken weeks later when military aircraft bombed civilians in Darfur. ********************* The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for the State Minister for Humanitarian Affairs, Ahmed Haroun, and alleged Janjaweed militia leader Ali Mohammed Ali aka Ali Kosheib, in relation to the atrocities in the region. Ahmed Haroun belongs to the Fur tribe one of the non Arab tribes of Darfur and is alleged to have incited attacks on specific ethnic groups. Ali Kosheib is an ex soldier and a leader of the popular defense forces and is assumed to be one of the key leaders responsible for attacks on villages in West Darfur. On May 29, 2007, U.S. President George W. Bush imposed economic sanctions against the Sudanese government.