The Chadian government announced the immediate closure of its border with Sudan on Monday, citing repeated incursions by armed groups involved in the ongoing civil war in neighboring Sudan.The decision comes after a series of clashes that have resulted in the deaths of at least nine Chadian soldiers since December.
In an official statement, Communications Minister Mahamat Gassim Cherif said the closure is necessary due to “repeated incursions and violations committed by the forces involved in the conflict in Sudan on Chadian territory.” The minister emphasized that the move is intended to halt “any risk of the conflict spreading” into Chad.
The border shutdown highlights the growing instability along the frontier, where Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been engaged in a brutal conflict with the Sudanese army for nearly three years. The war has devastated Sudan, killing tens of thousands and displacing 11 million people, creating what the United Nations describes as one of the worst humanitarian crises in the world.
While the RSF has conducted several operations near the Chadian border, the Chadian government has not specified which armed groups were responsible for the recent incursions.The statement declared that all “cross-border movements of goods and people are suspended.” However, it noted that “exceptional exemptions” for humanitarian reasons would still be permitted.
Chad also issued a stern warning, stating that it “reserves the right to retaliate against any aggression or violation of the inviolability of its territory and its borders.”
