Chad Blames Sudanese Army for Deadly Border Air Strike That Killed 12

An air strike near Chad’s border with Sudan resulted in the deaths of at least 12 people, with Chad directly blaming the Sudanese army for the attack. Speaking about the incident on Thursday, a Chadian security source stated that the strike “targeted a fuel market where the RSF [Rapid Support Forces] refuel. The strike killed 12 people and wounded seven,” according to reports from the AFP news agency concerning the assault on the paramilitary group.

This accusation emerges amid a civil war between Sudan’s army and the RSF that has continued for over three years, displacing millions of individuals. Previously, Chad asserted that Sudan was behind another air strike that struck a military convoy within Chadian territory last week. The Chadian army reported that these strikes occurred more than 100km (62 miles) inside its borders in the eastern Ennedi region, resulting in no Chadian casualties.

To counter threats from drones, Chad elevated its security alert level in the region to the maximum, a security source confirmed. Local sources informed Reuters news agency that the nation deployed approximately 100 armoured vehicles and signal-jamming trucks near eastern Tine, close to the Sudanese border.

In response, Sudan expressed surprise regarding the accusations directed at its army “before any professional and independent investigation into the circumstances of the incident.” The Sudanese Foreign Ministry declared that its forces “are carrying out their constitutional duty to protect Sudan’s sovereignty, security and safety and to face any threats it faces, while respecting the sovereignty of its neighbours and without targeting their territory.”

The US embassy in Khartoum also placed blame on the Sudanese army for the recent strikes on Chad, issuing a condemnation on Thursday. Historically, the Sudanese army has accused Chad of aligning with the RSF. Meanwhile, nearly one million displaced Sudanese people have sought refuge in Chad, where they currently confront a severe water crisis.