Darfur Sees New Cycle of Bloodshed, Refugees

Sudan says claims victory in rare Khartoum battle

(NEWSER) - Darfur rebels battled Sudanese soldiers today in a rare bid for control of Sudan's capital, Reuters reports. The military later claimed victory and said just a few militants had reached Khartoum. "Thank God this attempt has been completely defeated," a government spokesman said. More»

But two top factions aren't there, and a third has doubts

(NEWSER) - Sudan declared a ceasefire at Darfur peace talks today, but two top factions weren't there to hear it, and one other met the pledge with suspicion. “The government has said several times since 2004 that they observed a ceasefire,” said one rebel leader. “We have our doubts.” Last year's peace talks sparked increased fighting, more than a dozen new factions and attacks on civilians and aid workers. More»

Despite the violence, Sudan crisis may not fit legal definition

(NEWSER) - Hundreds of thousands of people have died or been displaced in the years-long conflict in Darfur, which presidents Bush and Obama have both called a genocide. But while nobody denies the seriousness of the violence, organizations from Doctors Without Borders to the International Criminal Court say that the Sudanese government's actions don't constitute a true genocide. For them, using that word to describe Darfur is setting a hazardous precedent, writes Edmund Sanders in the Los Angeles Times. More»

(NEWSER) - George Clooney figures prominently in New York Times op-ed columnist Nicholas D. Kristof's latest report from Africa, which Kristof describes as "yet another hand-wringing column about Darfur." He offers to swap dirt on the Hollywood heartthrob for readers' interest—then offers a chilling tale of a "petty and mean-spirited" move by the UN, which yanked the Americans' security escort. More»

Bashir, charged with genocide, holds rally at scene of crimes

(NEWSER) - Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president allegedly behind one of the world's worst campaigns of genocide and rape, traveled to Darfur yesterday to begin an uncharacteristic charm offensive. "We are with you, Darfur!", the president said, as he danced at a rally packed with thousands who appeared to have been forced to attend. The spectacle is part of Bashir's effort to head off an arrest warrant sought by prosecutors in The Hague, reports the New York Times. More»