Chad has commenced the emergency relocation of refugees from its border with Sudan, as its army prepares to deploy in response to cross-border attacks, an official from Chad’s refugee agency told Reuters on Monday.
President Mahamat Idriss Deby last week ordered the army to ready operations following a drone attack from Sudan that killed 17 people in Chad, including mourners attending a funeral. A separate government statement indicated that Chad has strengthened its border security and may conduct operations on Sudanese territory.
Initial relocation efforts will involve about 2,300 refugees, more than half of whom are women and children, according to Saleh Tebir Souleymane in the border town of Tine.
The relocation began on Saturday in the province of Ennedi Est, moving people further inland, and is expected to expand to all border towns serving as transit points for refugees.
“We have received instructions from the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs to act quickly because the border will be secured in the coming days by the army, which is already deploying there,” Souleymane said.
Chad had closed its eastern border with Sudan last month after clashes linked to the ongoing Sudanese conflict killed five Chadian soldiers. Despite the closure, refugees continue to arrive due to intensified fighting on the Sudanese side.
The conflict in Sudan, which began in April 2023 between the Sudanese Army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, has periodically spilled into Chadian territory, causing casualties and property damage.
