Chad has begun the emergency relocation of refugees from its border with Sudan amid rising security concerns.
The army is preparing to deploy along the frontier after a cross-border drone attack from Sudan killed 17 people, including funeral mourners.
President Mahamat Idriss Deby ordered forces to prepare retaliatory action, signaling a serious escalation along Chad’s volatile eastern border region.
Government statements last week confirmed strengthened border security, with potential operations extending into Sudanese territory if threats persist.
Initial relocation operations will move around 2,300 refugees, over half of them women and children, away from frontline towns, officials said.
The evacuation began Saturday in Ennedi Est province and is expanding Monday to all border towns used as refugee transit points.
Saleh Tebir Souleymane, border representative for Chad’s refugee agency, said rapid action is critical as the army secures the area.
Chad closed its eastern border last month after clashes killed five Chadian soldiers, though refugees continue to arrive due to ongoing fighting.
The Sudanese conflict between General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces began in April 2023 and has occasionally spilt into Chad.
Local communities report casualties and property damage, highlighting the enduring humanitarian consequences of Sudan’s internal war across borders.
