• Government shuts frontier “until further notice” after repeated violations

• Cross-border movement suspended, with limited humanitarian exemptions

• Chad already hosts about 1.3 million refugees, including 800,000 Sudanese

Chad announced on February 23, that it is closing its border with Sudan until further notice, citing repeated incursions and violations by forces involved in the Sudanese conflict.

The decision follows what the government described as “repeated incursions and violations committed by forces in conflict in Sudan on Chadian territory,” according to an official statement.

Authorities said the measure is intended to prevent the conflict from spilling over into Chad, protect citizens and refugee populations, and safeguard national stability and territorial integrity.

“Cross-border movement of goods and people is suspended,” the statement said. However, “exceptional exemptions” may be granted for strictly humanitarian reasons, subject to prior authorization from the competent authorities.

Chad has repeatedly denounced violations of its territorial integrity. In January, Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) allegedly crossed illegally into eastern Chad and carried out an armed operation. The incident left seven Chadian soldiers dead, several others injured and caused significant material damage.

The Chadian government has also reported multiple violations of its airspace by the Sudanese Armed Forces, condemning what it described as “premeditated incursions.” It reiterated its position of strict neutrality. “Chad is not a party to any camp in this conflict and will not tolerate a purely Sudanese circumstance being exported onto its soil,” the statement said.

Chad shares a porous border with Sudan, which has been engulfed in a deadly conflict since 2023. The war passed the 1,000-day mark in January, triggering a major humanitarian crisis marked by hunger, violence and nearly 12 million displaced people.

According to United Nations figures from May 2025, Chad already hosts about 1.3 million refugees, including nearly 800,000 Sudanese who have fled the conflict over the past two years.

Lydie Mobio