Chad has closed its eastern border with Sudan “until further notice” to prevent repeated incursions by Sudanese armed groups, authorities announced Monday. The measure comes after heavy fighting in the border town of al‑Tina, where clashes between Sudan Rapid Support Forces and local forces aligned with the Sudanese army left at least five Chadian soldiers and three civilians dead, with 12 others wounded, officials told Reuters.
Chad’s Communications Minister, Mahamat Gassim Cherif, said the closure aims to protect citizens and refugee communities, while allowing exceptional exemptions for humanitarian reasons with prior authorization. Chad has also become a key entry point for humanitarian convoys delivering aid to Sudan, where nearly one million refugees have crossed the border since the civil war erupted in April 2023.
Sudan has been engulfed in a violent power struggle between Gen. Abdel Fattah al‑Burhan’s national army and Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo’s RSF, stemming from a dispute over merging the RSF into the regular army. The conflict has intensified near Chad’s border in recent weeks, with reports of Sudanese militants crossing into Chadian territory, prompting security measures.
Chad warned that it reserves the right to retaliate against any aggression or violation and urged residents in border areas to remain calm, stay alert, and comply with new restrictions. Meanwhile, Sudan’s army has accused Chad of supporting the RSF and allowing military supplies to transit through its territory, allegations that the Chadian government has denied. The border closure underscores rising tensions in the Lake Chad Basin, where cross-border violence threatens civilians and complicates humanitarian operations amid ongoing conflict in Sudan.
