In a decisive move to insulate its territory from regional violence, the Chadian government announced Monday the complete closure of its border with war-torn Sudan. Government spokesperson Gassim Cherif Mahamat characterized the measure as essential for national security, stating it aims to “prevent any risk of the conflict spreading to our soil, to protect our citizens and refugee populations, and to guarantee the stability and territorial integrity of our country.”
The border shutdown follows intensified military confrontations in the Darfur region, where paramilitary Rapid Support Forces launched assaults on the strategic border town of Tine over the weekend. Sudanese Armed Forces claimed successful defense operations that forced RSF combatants to retreat across the border into Chadian territory. Tine represents one of the final Darfur strongholds remaining under Sudanese military control since the RSF assumed dominance over most of the region in October 2025.
This marks the second border closure instituted by Chad since Sudan’s devastating conflict erupted in April 2023, when longstanding tensions between military leadership and paramilitary forces escalated into full-scale warfare. The humanitarian consequences have been catastrophic, with UN figures indicating over 40,000 fatalities—though aid organizations suggest actual numbers may be substantially higher.
The conflict has generated the world’s most severe humanitarian emergency, displacing more than 14 million people while triggering widespread disease outbreaks and famine conditions across Sudan. Chad has absorbed hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees throughout the crisis, with government officials noting that “exceptional exceptions, strictly justified by humanitarian reasons” might be permitted despite the general border closure.