11 Facts about Darfur
1. Sudan is the largest country in Africa and has a population of 35 million.
2. Darfur is an area in western Sudan, and is home to six million people living largely rural lives.
3. Despite an abundance of oil and other natural resources, the vast majority of Sudan’s people live in poverty, and its Government has been described as ‘the most repressive regime in the world’.
4. Darfur is an entirely Muslim region.
5. Darfur has 14,000 aid workers – the world’s largest humanitarian operation.
6. Since the Darfur Peace Agreement was signed in May 2006, attacks (beatings, rape, robbery, assassination) against peacekeepers and humanitarian workers have increased dramatically.
7. Over 400,000 Darfurian civilians have died in the conflict – an estimated 150,000 from acts of violence.
8. 2.8 million people have been displaced within Sudan.
9. 250,000 people have fled abroad, mainly to Chad where they are facing further violence.
10. 90% of the villages of Darfur’s targeted ethnic groups have been destroyed.
11. Janjaweed militia and government forces have been responsible for 97% of the killings.