Chad closes border with Sudan, orders military alert after drone attack

By: Zagazola Makama

The Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has ordered the immediate closure of Chad’s border with Sudan and placed the military on maximum alert following a reported drone attack on Chadian territory.

The directive was issued after an emergency defence and security council meeting convened late on March 18 at the presidential palace in Ndjamena.

According to sources, the decision followed what authorities described as a fresh incursion involving Sudanese drones into Chadian territory, heightening tensions along the shared border.

The meeting was attended by the Prime Minister, Allamaye Halina, senior government officials, top military commanders and heads of security agencies.

During the session, Deby Itno reviewed Chad’s diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Sudan, noting that multiple mediation attempts had failed to bring peace between the warring parties.

He expressed concern over the humanitarian burden the conflict has imposed on Chad, as well as the spillover of intercommunal tensions across the border due to shared ethnic and social ties.

In response to the latest attack, the president ordered the complete closure of the approximately 1,300-kilometre border between Chad and Sudan.

He also directed the deployment of a government delegation to the affected areas to assess both human and material losses resulting from the incident.

Furthermore, the Chadian leader instructed the armed forces to maintain a state of maximum operational readiness and to respond decisively to any further aggression originating from Sudan.

The directive applies to any hostile actions linked to forces loyal to Abdel Fattah al-Burhan or the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.

Officials said the meeting ended with immediate instructions to military commanders to implement the president’s orders without delay.

The development marks a significant escalation in regional tensions, as the conflict in Sudan continues to have cross-border security implications for neighbouring countries, including Chad.