24 – 2003 Bachu earthquake: A 6.8 earthquake strikes in Xinjiang, killing 257 people. February 26 – The War in Darfur begins after rebel groups rise up against the Sudanese government. February 27 – Former Bosnian Serb leader Biljana Plavšić is sentenced by the United Nations International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia to 11 years in prison for war crimes committed during the Bosnian War. March March 8 – Malta approves joining the European Union in a referendum. March 12 Serbian Prime Minister Zoran Đinđić is assassinated in Belgrade by a sniper. The World Health Organization issues a global alert on severe acute respiratory syndrome when it spreads to Hong Kong and Vietnam after originating in Mainland China. March 15 – Former General François Bozizé seizes power through a military coup in the Central African Republic. March 17 – U.S. President George W. Bush presents a 48 hour ultimatum for Iraqi president Saddam Hussein to resign. March 20 – The Iraq War begins with the invasion of Iraq by the U.S. and allied forces. March 23 2003 Nadimarg massacre: Islamist militants gather and execute citizens of a Hindu village in Kashmir, killing 24 of the 54 residents. Slovenia approves joining the European Union and NATO in a referendum. April April 9 – U.S. forces seize control of Baghdad, ending the rule of Saddam Hussein. April 12 – Hungary approves joining the European Union in a referendum. April 14 – The Human Genome Project is completed, with 99% of the human genome sequenced to 99.99% accuracy. April 16 – The Treaty of Accession is signed in Athens between the European Union and ten countries (Czech Republic, Estonia, Cyprus, Latvia, Lithuania, Hungary, Malta, Poland, Slovenia and Slovakia), concerning these countries' accession into the EU, leading to the 2004 enlargement of the European Union. April 27 – Nicanor Duarte Frutos is elected president over Julio César Franco in the 2003 Paraguayan general election. April 29 – The United States announces the withdrawal of its troops stationed in Saudi Arabia, and the redeployment of some at the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar. May May 1 2003 Bingöl earthquake: A 6.4 earthquake strikes in Bingöl, Turkey, killing 177 people. U.S. President George W. Bush declares an end to the invasion of Iraq in the Mission Accomplished speech. Hostilities would continue for several years during a period of Iraqi insurgency. May 11 Benvenuto Cellini's