Chadian security forces have arrested 17 suspects—including Sudanese arms traffickers, escaped prisoners, and highway bandits—as part of a nationwide security sweep known as Operation Zero Criminals, aimed at curbing rising violence and restoring public order in central Chad. The arrests were announced on June 21 during a press briefing in Mongo, the capital of Guéra Province, where authorities displayed a cache of seized weapons and ammunition. Among the confiscated items were 23 firearms of various calibers and over 3,000 rounds of ammunition, discovered in a Toyota pickup being used to smuggle arms across the Sudanese-Chadian border.
Launched three weeks ago by General Abdoulaye Ibrahim Siam, Chad’s Government Delegate General, the operation targets transnational criminal networks, jailbreaks, and acts of violent banditry that have plagued regions such as Mongo and Am-Timan. According to the General, the crackdown is part of a broader government strategy to dismantle illicit supply routes and suppress cross-border threats exacerbated by instability in neighboring Sudan and Libya. The operation has also resulted in the recapture of several inmates who had escaped from local detention centers, and the arrest of highway robbers accused of attacking civilians and looting transport vehicles along key routes.
Authorities say the arrests have boosted public morale and demonstrate the government’s renewed commitment to law enforcement in areas historically neglected by state security structures. Residents of Mongo welcomed the show of force, calling it long overdue in a region frequently targeted by armed gangs and traffickers. Analysts say the presence of foreign actors—including Sudanese nationals—highlights Chad’s growing exposure to regional insecurity, especially in the wake of Sudan’s civil conflict, which has displaced hundreds of thousands and flooded border regions with arms and fighters. Operation Zero Criminals is expected to continue in coming weeks, with additional checkpoints, night patrols, and community engagement initiatives planned to reinforce local security.
