Deadly attack on funeral mourners sparks Chad-Sudan tensions and border security alert
Chad has warned Sudan of retaliation after a drone strike killed at least 17 people and injured several others during a funeral in the border town of Tiné.
President Idris Mahamat Déby convened an emergency security meeting on Wednesday, ordering the military to be on high alert and calling for a “total closure” of the Chad-Sudan border. He described the attack as “outrageous and a blatant aggression” against Chad’s territorial integrity.
Residents reported that the victims were mourners attending a funeral ceremony, with one witness saying the ceremony involved reading the Koran. The attack drew widespread condemnation from government officials, including the National Assembly and ruling party MPs, who expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims.
The government stated it had strengthened its defense posture and would pursue its rights inside Sudanese territory in strict compliance with international law.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which controls much of western Darfur along Chad’s border, is suspected of carrying out the strike. The RSF denies involvement and blames Sudan’s army, which in turn blames the RSF. Sudan has previously accused Chad of supporting the RSF, which N’Djamena denies.
The ongoing Sudan civil war, which began in April 2023 following a power struggle between the army and the RSF, has killed hundreds of thousands and displaced over 13 million people, nearly one million of them to Chad, according to the UN.
Chad’s warning of retaliation against future attacks has raised fears of a regional escalation, particularly along the 1,400 km porous border that is difficult to control.
Source: BBC & Al Jazeera & Reuters