Chad has closed its border with neighboring Sudan after violence linked to the ongoing conflict there left five Chadian soldiers dead.
The Chadian government announced the border shutdown on Monday, citing “repeated incursions and violations by forces involved in Sudan’s conflict.” Officials said the decision was taken to safeguard national security following the latest cross-border clashes.
The violence reportedly erupted in the border town of Tine, where fighting broke out between Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces and troops aligned with the Sudanese government. In addition to the five soldiers killed, three civilians also lost their lives and 12 others were injured.
This is not the first time the civil war in Sudan has spilled into Chadian territory, previously causing casualties and property damage. The latest escalation comes just weeks before the conflict in Sudan enters its fourth year.
According to the United Nations, the war has triggered the world’s largest and most severe hunger crisis, displacing millions of people and deepening the humanitarian emergency across the region.
