Chad accuses Sudan of deadly border air strike killing 12 civilians

An air strike on a fuel market near Chad’s border with Sudan killed 12 people and wounded seven, according to Chadian officials, who say the attack was carried out by the Sudanese army. The strike occurred in a village close to the Sudan–Chad frontier in the eastern Ennedi region, where the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) reportedly refuel their vehicles.

Chadian security officials described the incident as a “targeted attack” on the fuel market. The United Nations‑backed news agency AFP confirmed that the strike killed 12 residents and wounded seven others. No Chadian soldiers were reported wounded in the attack, and the Chadian army said the impact zone was more than 100 kilometres (about 62 miles) inside its territory.

The allegation follows a previous incident in which Chad blamed Sudan for an air strike that struck a military convoy on its soil last week. That strike, which occurred deeper within Chadian territory, left no casualties on the Chadian side. The Chadian army has repeatedly warned of the threat posed by drones and other aerial weapons in the area, prompting the country to raise its alert level to the highest point and deploy approximately 100 armoured vehicles and signal‑jamming trucks near eastern Tine, close to the Sudanese border.

The Sudanese government has denied responsibility for the latest attack. The Foreign Ministry said it was “surprised” by the allegations and that an independent investigation was needed to determine the circumstances of the incident. It stated that Sudan’s forces are carrying out their constitutional duty to protect the country’s sovereignty and security while respecting the sovereignty of its neighbours and not targeting their territory.

The United States Embassy in Khartoum also condemned the recent strikes on Chadian territory, accusing the Sudanese army of launching the attacks. The embassy’s statement echoed the broader international concern over the escalating violence in the region.

The current conflict in Sudan, which has raged for more than three years, pits the Sudanese army against the RSF, a paramilitary group that has been accused of committing widespread abuses. The fighting has displaced millions of Sudanese civilians, with nearly one million refugees fleeing to Chad. In Chad, the influx of displaced people has strained local resources and triggered a severe water crisis, as the country struggles to provide adequate supplies for the new population.

Chad’s accusations come against a backdrop of long‑standing tensions between the two countries. The Sudanese army has previously accused Chad of being aligned with the RSF, while Chad has repeatedly called out Sudan for its cross‑border attacks. The situation remains volatile, with both sides maintaining a high state of alert and continuing to deploy military assets along the shared frontier.

In the wake of the air strike, Chadian officials have urged the international community to investigate the incident and to ensure that the sovereignty of Chad is respected. They also called for a halt to further attacks, emphasizing the need for a peaceful resolution to the conflict in Sudan. The United Nations and other regional bodies have been monitoring the situation closely, with calls for de‑escalation and for humanitarian assistance to the displaced populations in both countries.