Sudan-Chad relations strained by border closure and security concerns

The ongoing violence in Sudan has triggered a catastrophic humanitarian situation, forcing nearly one million individuals to seek safety in neighboring Chad. Following the collapse of El-Fasher in North Darfur, the pressure on N’Djamena has intensified. Recent reports indicate that 100,000 people fled the city in a fortnight, with thousands crossing the border into a country already grappling with long-term regional instability.

A vulnerable frontier under military pressure

Spanning 1,300 kilometers of largely unmonitored desert, the border between Sudan and Chad has long been a flashpoint for militant activity. Today, the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) control much of Darfur, posing a direct threat to Chadian sovereignty. Escalating violence, including a deadly drone strike in late 2024 and a lethal incursion near Tiné in early 2025, has forced N’Djamena to implement a total border shutdown to protect its territory from the spreading warfare.