Sudan violence spreads to Chad
Updated on 10 April 2007
The violence in Sudan's Darfur region spreads to neighbouring Chad, where 400 people have been killed by Sudan's Janjaweed fighters.
At least 200,000 people dead and 2.5 million forced into refugee camps. That is the estimated human cost of the crisis in Sudan's Darfur region.
Now the violence has dragged in neighbouring Chad. The UN says 400 people have been killed in Chad during cross-border raids by Sudanese Janjaweed fighters responsible for much of the violence in Darfur.
And Chad has now admitted entering Sudanese territory and killing several soldiers.
Darfur has been in a state of turmoil for nearly four years, but in the past 18 months the conflict has spread across the border into Chad. And despite all international efforts, the government of Sudan still resists all attempts to try and end the violence.
What's happening in Sudan
- Darfur, an arid province in western Sudan, is suffering its fourth consecutive year of civil war
- Tension centres around differences between African farmers, and the Arab herders - as they compete for land
- Darfur's population is mostly black African, whereas the rest of the country is Arab-dominated
- Opposition groups in Darfur say the government neglects their province, and discriminates against black Africans
Background to the conflict
- Conflict flared in 2003, when rebel groups - loyal to the black Africans - began attacking government targets
- To fight back, the government launched a military and police campaign in Darfur
- It has been accused of bombing villages, and colluding with Arab militia in a bid to oust black Africans from the country
- It is estimated that more than two million people have fled their homes in the region. Many now live in camps - whereas others have crossed into neighbouring Chad
- Aid agencies say the raging violence makes it very difficult to help the hundreds of thousands of refugees left without food and water
- The African Union has sent 7,000 peace-keepers to the area, but there are fears it is not enough
- Sudan's government has refused to let UN forces in. Sudan was under joint British-Egyptian rule until 1955
