Drone Strike From Sudan Kills 17 in Eastern Chad, Government Orders Retaliation

A drone attack launched from neighbouring Sudan has killed at least 17 people in the eastern Chadian border town of Tine, authorities confirmed on Thursday, marking a fresh escalation of cross-border violence linked to Sudan’s ongoing conflict.

The Chadian government said the late Wednesday strike targeted civilians in Tine, revising an earlier death toll of 16. Several others were reportedly injured in the હુમ.

Officials described the incident as another spillover from the الحرب in Sudan, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been locked in a prolonged conflict with the Sudanese army since April 2023.

“Despite firm warnings issued to all parties involved in the Sudan conflict and the closure of our border, the town of Tine has once again come under a drone attack,” a government spokesperson said in a statement.

“This latest assault of extreme gravity has claimed the lives of 17 of our citizens and left several others wounded.”

While a military source initially attributed the strike to the RSF, the paramilitary group denied responsibility, accusing the Sudanese army of carrying out the attack.

In response, President Mahamat Idriss Déby convened an emergency meeting of Chad’s defence and security council overnight, ordering the military to retaliate against any further ആക്രമ.

The latest strike follows a series of امنیت incidents along the Chad-Sudan border. In late February, a rocket fired from Sudan caused damage in Tine, where at least 23 people — including soldiers and civilians — have been killed since December due to the conflict.

Chad had earlier shut its border with Sudan on February 23, citing concerns over the جنگ spilling into its territory.

The Darfur region of western Sudan, which borders Chad, has become a major flashpoint in the conflict, with RSF forces controlling large areas after capturing key المدن, including El-Fasher.

The porous desert border, stretching nearly 1,400 kilometres, remains difficult to secure and has seen increasing cross-border attacks.

According to the United Nations, Sudan’s civil war has killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 12 million, with nearly one million seeking refuge in Chad.