TIMELINE: Conflict in Sudan's Darfur

(Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution on Thursday that renewed the mandate for peacekeepers in Sudan's Darfur region but drew U.S. criticism for part of the text.

Washington abstained from the vote after criticizing the British-drafted text for language that alluded to African hopes for a suspension of any indictment of Sudan's president by the International Criminal Court for genocide in Darfur.

Below is a chronology of some major events in the conflict in western Sudan:

February 2003 - Two rebel groups rise up, saying government neglects arid region and arms Arab militia against civilians.

April 8, 2004 - Government, Sudan Liberation Army (SLA) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) rebels agree ceasefire, later agreeing it should be monitored by foreign forces.

May 5, 2006 - Sudan's government and SLA sign new peace deal. Rival SLA faction and the smaller JEM reject the deal.

February 27, 2007 - International Criminal Court's chief prosecutor names first two war crimes suspects in Darfur. Sudan says the ICC has no jurisdiction and rejects arrest warrants.

May 29 - U.S. President George W. Bush imposes new U.S. sanctions on Sudan and asks for support for an international arms embargo to end what he calls genocide in Darfur.

Aug 1 - U.N. Security Council authorizes 26,000 troops and police for Darfur's U.N.-African Union peacekeeping mission and approves the use of force to protect civilians.

May 10 - Rebels of the Justice and Equality Movement reach Khartoum in an unprecedented attack before being driven back.

July 8 - Darfur militiamen ambush and kill seven members of UNAMID peacekeeping force and wound 22 others in North Darfur. Darfur's main rebel groups, deny any involvement.

July 14 - International Criminal Court prosecutor Luis Moreno Ocampo charges President Omar Hassan al-Bashir with masterminding a campaign of genocide and asks the court for an arrest warrant.

July 31 - The U.N. Security Council renews the mandate for peacekeepers in Sudan.