Chad closed its eastern border with Sudan on Monday after clashes this weekend linked to Sudan's civil war killed five Chadian soldiers, fearing the Sudanese conflict might spill over.
Chad's government said on Monday in an official statement that the border would remain closed until further notice, citing "repeated incursions and violations committed by forces in Sudan's conflict."
The government said it would be closing the key Adre point with West Darfur, to prevent Sudanese armed groups from crossing into Chad.
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The move "aims to prevent any risk of the conflict spreading to our soil, to protect our fellow citizens and refugee populations, and to guarantee the stability and territorial integrity of our country," the government statement said.
This decision follows "repeated incursions" and violations of Chadian territory, linked to clashes between the Republican Security Forces (FSR) and joint forces allied with the Sudanese regular army.
Chadian Minister of Communication Mahamat Gassim Chérif has asserted that he wants to prevent "any risk of the conflict spreading into Chad" by closing the border.
Sudan's army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
"One thing is certain: whether we like it or not, Chad now appears to be a party to the conflict," Ahmat Yacoub, from the think tank Center for Studies for the Development and Prevention of Extremism (CEDPE), told news agencies.
Spilling fighting after almost three years of war
The conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary RSF erupted in April 2023 and has since periodically spilled over into Chadian territory, causing casualties and property damage.
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The most recent fighting at the border between Sudan and Chad began in Sudan on Saturday (21 February) and spilled over into Chad.
Local sources told correspondent in N'Djamena that "FSR militias attacked a Chadian army outpost in Tine" on the Chadian side.
According to Chadian officials, the clashes between the RSF and militia fighters loyal to Sudan's government killed five soldiers and three civilians and wounded 12 people.
A border guard officer in Tine said additional security measures were needed to protect civilians on the Chadian side.
According to a security source, the army and the joint force, totalling more than 15,000 troops, are stationed along the 1,400-kilometer border between the two countries.
Other sources said more Chadian troops were being deployed to the area.
Gassim Cherif also told RFI that, since December, repeated incursions by warring parties in the Sudanese war are "undermining Chad's sovereignty."
"We will not yield to attempts to destabilize Chadian institutions," he added. "Not a single kilometer of the border escapes our control."
Last year, a drone attack killed two Chadian soldiers, according to local authorities and a security source, though it was unclear who carried out the attack.
Chad hosts at least 1 million Sudanese refugees who fled the war between the Sudanese Army and the RSF.
(with newswires)
