Mahamat Idriss Déby Itno has ordered the immediate closure of Chad’s border with Sudan and placed the nation’s armed forces on maximum alert following a reported drone attack on Chadian territory.
The directive came after an emergency defence and security council meeting held late March 18 at the presidential palace in N’Djamena, where top officials reviewed the growing threat along the volatile frontier.
Sources said the move was triggered by what authorities described as a fresh incursion involving Sudanese drones, further heightening already strained relations between the neighbouring countries.
The high-level meeting was attended by Prime Minister Allamaye Halina, senior government officials, military chiefs, and heads of security agencies.
During deliberations, Déby Itno expressed frustration over stalled diplomatic efforts to end the conflict in Sudan, noting that repeated mediation attempts had failed to reconcile the warring factions.
He also raised alarm over the mounting humanitarian pressure on Chad, which continues to host thousands of refugees fleeing the conflict, as well as the spillover of intercommunal tensions across the porous border.
In a sweeping response, the Chadian leader ordered the full closure of the roughly 1,300-kilometre border with Sudan and directed an urgent assessment mission to evaluate human and material losses in affected areas.
He further instructed the military to remain on high alert and respond decisively to any further aggression, warning that Chad would not tolerate threats to its sovereignty.
The order applies to hostile actions linked to forces loyal to Abdel Fattah al-Burhan or the Rapid Support Forces led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo.
Military commanders have since been directed to implement the president’s orders with immediate effect.
The development signals a sharp escalation in regional tensions, as Sudan’s ongoing conflict continues to spill beyond its borders, posing serious security and humanitarian challenges for neighbouring Chad.
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