Chad has announced the immediate closure of its border with Sudan, citing escalating security concerns linked to the ongoing conflict across the frontier.
In a statement issued on Monday, Communications Minister Mahamat Gassim Cherif said the move followed a series of confrontations between Chadian troops and armed factions operating in Sudan’s civil war.
“This decision follows repeated incursions and violations committed by the forces involved in the conflict in Sudan on Chadian territory,” he said, stressing that the government aims to prevent “any risk of the conflict spreading” into Chad.
Sudan has been engulfed in fighting between the national army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for nearly three years. The conflict has left tens of thousands dead and displaced about 11 million people, creating what the United Nations describes as one of the worst humanitarian crises globally.
Clashes have intensified near the Chad-Sudan border in recent months. Authorities say at least nine Chadian soldiers have been killed in separate incidents since December, amid operations by the RSF in border areas.
The Chadian government warned it “reserves the right to retaliate against any aggression or violation of the inviolability of its territory and its borders”.
While the closure halts commercial and civilian crossings — “Cross-border movements of goods and people are suspended,” the statement said — officials noted that “exceptional exemptions” could be granted for humanitarian purposes.
