Chad accuses Sudan of deadly air strike near shared border

What the report says

Chad has accused Sudan’s army of carrying out an air strike near the countries’ shared border that killed at least 12 people and wounded seven, according to officials cited by Al Jazeera, AFP and Reuters. The attack was reported Thursday near a fuel market on the Chadian side of the border, in an area where Chadian security sources said the target was linked to refuelling by the Rapid Support Forces, the paramilitary group fighting Sudan’s army.

The allegation comes amid more than three years of war in Sudan between the national army and the RSF, a conflict that has driven millions from their homes and spilled over into regional tensions. Chad has already accused Sudan of a previous strike on a military convoy in eastern Chad, while Chadian authorities say they have strengthened their posture near the border because of drone threats.

Chad said the latest strike hit more than 100 kilometres inside its territory in the eastern Ennedi region, although Sudan rejected the accusation and said it had not been given evidence before an independent inquiry. Sudan’s foreign ministry said its forces were defending the country and not targeting neighbours. The US embassy in Khartoum also blamed the Sudanese army for the recent strikes. The incident adds to concerns about cross-border security and the strain on Chad, which is hosting large numbers of Sudanese refugees and facing pressure on basic services.