Darfur Sinking Into Chaos of Warring Rebel Groups

The civil war in Darfur has degenerated into a tangled mess of militias and warlords battling each other, a development that threatens efforts to bring relief to the 2.5 million people affected by the fighting. Dozens of rebel groups are at war with each other, not just the government, and “the lines of who's who are much more blurred,” said an Oxfam spokesman. The Washington Post assesses the situation on the ground.

Instead of seeking to free their country from government attacks, the rebel factions are now largely focused on gaining power, the Post notes. Conflicts between groups have driven some 70,000 from their homes this year, while government brutality has displaced 60,000. And while relief efforts remain effective, raids on humanitarian compounds and vehicles have surged this year. (More Darfur stories.)