Seven Chadian soldiers lost their lives in a firefight near the town of Tine. The violence erupted when foreign gunmen breached the frontier, forcing local troops to engage. This lethal incident marks a dangerous escalation in the Chad-Sudan border clash narrative, threatening to drag N’Djamena directly into a widening regional war.
Government spokesman Gassim Cherif confirmed the fatalities. He described a chaotic scene where Chadian forces attempted to expel the intruders, only to face heavy resistance.
Finger Pointed at RSF Paramilitaries
While official channels initially referred to the attackers simply as armed combatants, internal clarity is emerging. A separate government source identified the aggressors as members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
This paramilitary faction is currently locked in a brutal power struggle with the Sudanese army. Their involvement suggests the civil war is no longer contained within Sudanese lines.
Casualties Mount in Chad-Sudan Border Clash
This tragedy is part of a disturbing pattern of cross-border aggression.
Only weeks prior, on December 26, a drone strike struck the same volatile region. That attack, also attributed to the RSF, resulted in the deaths of two Chadian soldiers. Consequently, the security architecture along the boundary is fraying rapidly.
The government’s patience has officially run out.
“We call on all parties in the conflict to stop all violations of Chadian territory,” Cherif declared during a press conference.
He made it clear that N’Djamena will not tolerate further incursions.
“This is our final warning,” Cherif added. “We cannot have our defence and security forces dragged into the conflict… or Chadians dying.”
A Region on the Brink
The stakes are astronomically high. Sudan’s civil war, which ignited in April 2023, has already decimated the region’s stability.
- Mass Displacement: The fighting has forced roughly 12 million people to flee their homes.
- Refugee Crisis: The United Nations reports that nearly one million of these displaced civilians have crossed into Chad for safety.
- Regional condemnation: The United Arab Emirates condemned the attack on Chadian troops. However, the UAE notably avoided directly naming the RSF, despite frequent accusations regarding their support for the group.
Tensions have been razor-sharp since October. That month, the RSF seized El-Fasher, the Sudanese army’s last stronghold in Darfur, amid reports of mass executions and systematic rape. Now, as the violence physically crosses the border, the risk of a broader international conflict is imminent.
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