• Conflict-prone region in western Sudan, affected by ethnic violence and resource conflicts since 2003.
• Site of one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, with mass killings and displacement.
• Home to multiple ethnic groups, with tensions between Arab pastoralists and non-Arab farming communities.
• Janjaweed militias, backed by the Sudanese government, accused of genocide and mass atrocities.
• Rapid Support Forces (RSF), formerly Janjaweed, play a key role in ongoing instability.
• Renewed violence in 2023, worsening the humanitarian situation.

• Located in western Sudan, bordering Chad, Libya, and the Central African Republic.
• Covers an area of about 493,180 sq. km, nearly the size of France.
• Predominantly arid and semi-arid, with desert in the north and more fertile land in the south.
• Climate-driven water and grazing conflicts, worsened by desertification and climate change.
• Composed of five states: North, South, West, Central, and East Darfur.
• El Fasher is the capital and largest city, serving as an administrative and humanitarian hub.

• Politically marginalized for decades, leading to armed uprisings against Sudan’s government.
• Conflict escalated in 2003 with rebel groups like the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) demanding greater autonomy.
• Remains a stronghold of rebel activity, contributing to Sudan’s broader instability.
• Ongoing violence impacts regional security, affecting neighboring countries like Chad and the Central African Republic.

PYQ:

[2024] Consider the following statements :

Statement-I: There is instability and worsening security situation in the Sahel region.

Statement-II: There have been military takeovers/coups d’état in several countries of the Sahel region in the recent past.

Which one of the following is correct in respect of the above statement?

a) Both Statement-I and Statement-II are correct and Statement-II explains Statement-I

b) Bothe Statement-I and Statement-II are correct, but Statement-II does not explain Statement-I

c) Statement-I is correct, but Statement-II is incorrect

d) Statement-I is incorrect, but Statement-II is correct