Chad deploys troops after deadly cross-border strike from Sudan

Earlier this week, a drone strike originating from Sudan hit the Chadian border town of Tine, resulting in the deaths of 17 civilians. Among the victims, as reported by multiple outlets, were individuals attending a funeral gathering, as well as children who had been nearby.

Witnesses reported hearing two separate explosions during the incident. The exact group responsible for the strike remains unclear. Both the Sudanese army and the RSF denied responsibility, each accusing the other. The Sudanese army expressed condolences to the victims’ families and to the people and government of Chad. Meanwhile, the United Nations humanitarian coordinator in Chad condemned the attack, stressing that civilians continue to suffer despite repeated calls for restraint from the warring sides.

Following the strike, Chadian security forces initiated a large-scale military operation in the Tine border region on Thursday. According to local reports, the Chadian army carried out systematic house-to-house searches in Tine to locate weapons. During the operation, several Sudanese refugees were arrested on suspicion of contributing to unrest or posing security risks in the area. The military significantly reinforced its presence along the border, deploying around 200 vehicles. Witnesses indicated that some Chadian troops crossed into Sudanese territory to seize military equipment as part of the crackdown. Authorities have also imposed stricter border measures affecting refugees.

This has been the clearest sign of the widening of the Sudan conflict and its spillover into neighboring countries. However, Chad has been indirectly involved in the conflict, according to multiple reports. Governments, United Nations experts, and independent investigations have raised serious allegations regarding external support for the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Sudan. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been repeatedly accused of providing weapons, drones, and logistical assistance to the RSF, as well as financing its operations and, according to multiple reports, supporting the recruitment of mercenaries. Evidence cited across reporting includes satellite and intelligence data indicating suspected arms flights, sanctions imposed on UAE-linked companies accused of ties to the RSF, and documentation of UAE weapons reportedly used by RSF fighters on the ground. The UAE, however, has consistently denied these accusations, maintaining that its involvement in Sudan is limited to humanitarian assistance.

Chad’s role has emerged as a central component in these allegations, particularly as a logistical hub in the alleged supply chain between the UAE and the RSF. Multiple investigations have revealed UAE cargo flights landing at the Amdjarass airstrip in eastern Chad. These flights have been suspected of transporting weapons under the guise of humanitarian aid. Sudanese authorities have further claimed that arms shipments destined for the RSF were routed through eastern Chad, establishing what is widely described as a key operational corridor linking the UAE to RSF forces in Darfur via Chadian territory.

Additional allegations point to the existence of supporting infrastructure within Chad. Reports have indicated a UAE-constructed field hospital in the region, which critics argue may have functioned as a logistical support hub. More broadly, reporting indicates that arms flows to the RSF are not limited to a single route but instead move through a network of regional supply corridors. These include pathways through Chad, Libya, Somalia, and the Central African Republic, suggesting that Chad’s role, while significant, is part of a wider and more complex transnational logistics system supporting the RSF.

There is still no clear indication of the full extent of the latest military operation by Chad. However, it reflects growing fears that the war is expanding into neighboring countries, many of which have already been drawn into the conflict either through logistical roles or indirect support for the warring factions.