标签： Africa

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.

Chad has implemented an indefinite closure of its eastern frontier with Sudan, citing repeated military incursions by Sudanese armed factions as the primary justification. The decisive action, announced on Monday, follows intense combat in the border settlement of al-Tina involving Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and local militias aligned with the Sudanese national army.

Government officials characterized the border shutdown as an essential security precaution amid mounting concerns that Sudan’s internal conflict is encroaching upon Chadian territory. Communications Minister Mahamat Gassim Cherif issued an official statement emphasizing the measure’s purpose to prevent regional spillover of violence and ensure protection for both citizens and refugee populations.

While the closure remains in effect indefinitely, authorities indicated they would consider humanitarian exemptions on a case-by-case basis with formal authorization. The government simultaneously issued a stern warning that Chad maintains the right to respond decisively to any aggression or border violations.

The border region has witnessed deteriorating security conditions following weekend clashes that resulted in significant casualties. Preliminary reports indicate five Chadian soldiers and three civilians lost their lives, with at least twelve others sustaining injuries during cross-border hostilities.

This development compounds an already severe humanitarian situation, with approximately one million Sudanese refugees having crossed into Chad since the civil war’s inception in April 2023. The nation serves as both a sanctuary for displaced persons and a critical conduit for humanitarian assistance entering Sudan.

The conflict originated from a power struggle between army commander Gen Abdel Fattah al-Burhan and RSF leader Gen Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti), initially centering on integration of paramilitary forces into the regular army before escalating into full-scale warfare. Chad has repeatedly denied allegations from Sudanese authorities claiming it provides support to RSF operations.

In a horrific incident underscoring the brutal realities of South Sudan’s ongoing conflict, more than a dozen civilians were systematically executed after being deceived by government-allied militia fighters promising humanitarian food aid. The attack occurred Saturday morning in the remote village of Pankor, located within the conflict-ravaged Jonglei State approximately 400 kilometers north of the capital, Juba.

According to two survivors who spoke anonymously for fear of reprisal, several dozen armed combatants arrived in pickup trucks and used loudspeakers to announce a registration drive for food assistance. Trusting the promise of aid in a region facing severe food insecurity, villagers gathered in a traditional cattle enclosure known as a ‘luak.’

The situation turned from hope to horror as the fighters bound the hands of multiple men before opening fire on the entire group. Survivors reported 22 fatalities with additional injuries, while government-appointed Ayod County Commissioner James Chuol Jiek confirmed at least 16 deaths, predominantly women and children. Graphic photographs obtained by The Associated Press, too disturbing for publication, showed victims shot at close range with their hands tied behind their backs.

Commissioner Jiek identified the perpetrators as members of the Agwelek militia, a Shilluk ethnic force that operates alongside the national army despite not being fully integrated. He claimed the fighters acted without their commander’s knowledge, characterizing the massacre as retaliatory violence for attacks by Nuer militias on Shilluk villages in 2022. Jiek stated several officers had been arrested and 150 fighters disarmed, while vehemently denying the aid registration was used as a lure, calling this narrative ‘an opposition lie.’

The incident occurs against a backdrop of intensified violence in northern Jonglei, an opposition stronghold where UN estimates indicate approximately 280,000 people have been displaced since December. The region faces compounded crises including armed clashes, aerial bombardments, and extreme flooding that have left over half of Ayod County’s population experiencing severe food insecurity. Aid organizations have repeatedly warned that access restrictions to opposition-held territories are endangering civilian lives.

This massacre follows international condemnation of Agwelek militia commander Lt. Gen. Johnson Olony, who was filmed in January explicitly ordering his forces to kill civilians without mercy during operations in Jonglei. Although Olony has since apologized for his remarks, opposition officials continue to characterize government actions in Nuer-majority areas as genocidal in intent.