Chad’s military has been placed on the highest level of alert after aircraft and drones linked to the Sudanese conflict carried out airstrikes inside Chadian territory, bombing a vehicle convoy more than 100 kilometres from the border, the army said on Saturday.
In a statement issued by the Chadian army, the military said that on Thursday, aircraft and drones belonging to the Sudanese Armed Forces or their allies pursued and struck a vehicle convoy in Ennedi-Est Province, which borders Sudan. No Chadian casualties were reported in the attack, but the army strongly condemned what it called a new violation of Chad’s territorial integrity.
National Assembly Condemns Attack
The military issued a firm warning to parties in the Sudanese conflict over the risk of extending hostilities into Chadian territory. On Sunday, Chad’s National Assembly also condemned in the strongest possible terms this new, grave, and unacceptable violation of Chad’s territorial integrity.
Chad shares a 1,300-kilometre porous border with Sudan, which has been engulfed in civil war since April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The cross-border incident marks one of the most direct military provocations affecting Chadian sovereignty since the conflict began.
Regional Security Risks Mount
The airstrikes come amid intensifying fighting in eastern and central Sudan, with both the Sudanese Armed Forces and RSF conducting drone strikes and ground operations across multiple fronts. The Institute for the Study of War reported last week that the RSF had launched attacks on positions near el-Obeid and advanced into Blue Nile state, stretching military resources across the country.
The expansion of Sudan’s war into Chadian territory raises concerns about regional destabilisation, particularly for a country that has itself experienced political turmoil, including a military coup in 2021. International mediators have been unable to broker a lasting ceasefire between the warring Sudanese factions.
Neither the Sudanese Armed Forces nor the RSF have issued official statements regarding the Chadian accusations. The Chadian army said defence and security forces remain on maximum alert to respond to any further threats to national security.
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