Chad's president has ordered the military to retaliate against future attacks from Sudan following a drone attack that killed at least 17 people and injured several others attending a funeral.
Wearing military uniform, President Idris Mahamat Déby convened an emergency security meeting on Wednesday evening, where he ordered the military to be on high alert. He also ordered a total closure of the border with Sudan.
He described the attack targeting the border town of Tiné as outrageous and a blatant aggression against Chad's territorial integrity.
Despite previous warnings to both sides battling in Sudan and an earlier border closure, this attack occurred and has drawn severe criticism from the National Assembly and ruling party MPs. Many residents of Tiné described the victims as mourners who had gathered for a ceremony involving reading the Koran.
Last month, Chad had closed its border with Sudan, but allowed humanitarian exceptions with prior authorization. The latest developments have rekindled fears of escalating violence in the region, as Chad strengthens its defense and security posture in response to the threat.
The paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which controls much of the bordering Darfur region, is suspected of carrying out the attack. The RSF denies involvement while accusing Sudan's army of the assault. Sudan has frequently accused Chad of supporting the RSF, which Chad denies.
The ongoing civil war in Sudan, sparked in April 2023, has caused widespread devastation, displacing over 13 million people and claiming hundreds of thousands of lives. Tensions remain high along the porous border that spans 1,400 km (870 miles).
