United Nations Timeline
March 2003-June 2004
2003March — Fighting breaks out in the Darfur region of western Sudan between government forces and rebels from the Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM).April — Refugees begin arriving in eastern Chad to escape the conflict. Large numbers of civilians become internally displaced persons (IDPs) within Darfur.September — Refugee numbers in Chad reach 65,000. UN agencies estimate that at least 500,000 people in Darfur need humanitarian aid.The SLA and the government reach a ceasefire agreement, but both sides soon accuse the other of breaking it.Tom Eric Vraalsen, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan’s Special Envoy for Humanitarian…
