At least 12 people have been killed and seven others injured in an air strike near Chad’s border with Sudan, with Chadian authorities accusing the Sudanese army of carrying out the attack.
The strike reportedly occurred on Thursday at a fuel market near the border, an area where fighters from Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) were allegedly refuelling.
A Chadian security source said the attack targeted the fuel market and resulted in 12 deaths and seven injuries.
The incident comes amid Sudan’s prolonged civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the RSF, a conflict that has displaced millions of people and created a major humanitarian crisis across the region.
Chad had previously accused Sudan of carrying out an air strike inside its territory. According to Chadian military authorities, the earlier attack struck a military convoy more than 100 kilometres inside Chad’s eastern Ennedi region, although no Chadian casualties were reported.
Following growing concerns over drone attacks, Chad reportedly raised its security alert level in the area to its highest level. About 100 armoured vehicles and signal-jamming trucks were also deployed near Tine, close to the Sudanese border.
Sudan has rejected the accusations, saying it was surprised that Chad blamed its army before an independent investigation had established what happened.
Sudan’s Foreign Ministry said its forces were focused on protecting the country’s sovereignty and security while respecting the territorial integrity of neighbouring countries.
The United States Embassy in Khartoum, however, also accused the Sudanese army of conducting the recent strikes on Chad and condemned the attacks.
Tensions between the two countries have increased as Sudan’s conflict continues. The Sudanese army has previously accused Chad of supporting or aligning with the RSF, allegations Chad has disputed.
Meanwhile, Chad continues to host nearly one million Sudanese refugees who have fled the war, placing additional pressure on the country’s already strained humanitarian resources.
The latest air strike has raised further concerns that Sudan’s war could increasingly spill across its borders and worsen tensions with neighbouring countries.
