Clashes over water access in eastern Chad leave 42 dead

At least 42 individuals lost their lives in eastern Chad following violent clashes sparked by a dispute over a water source. The confrontations escalated into retaliatory attacks, prompting a swift response from authorities.

During a visit to the village of Igote in Wadi Fira Province—near the border with Sudan—Vice-Premier Limane Mahamat confirmed the casualties, noting that 10 others were injured and evacuated to the provincial health center. The violence extended across a broad area, forcing the army to intervene and restore order, with authorities declaring the situation “under control.”

The government has initiated a customary mediation process in Igote while pursuing legal action to hold those responsible accountable for the deadly outbreak.

Chad has long struggled with intercommunal conflicts fueled by resource scarcity, particularly between farmers and herders. In 2023, similar clashes in the southwest claimed 42 lives and destroyed multiple homes.

Vice-Premier Mahamat assured that the government would take “all necessary measures” to prevent destabilization in the border region, where tensions remain high. The area has become a refuge for hundreds of thousands of Sudanese fleeing war, intensifying pressure on already scarce resources.

In February, Chad sealed its border with Sudan to curb the spillover of violence, citing incursions by armed factions from the neighboring conflict. The war in Sudan, now in its second year, has killed over 40,000 people—though humanitarian groups warn the true toll may be far higher.

This crisis has triggered the world’s largest displacement emergency, displacing more than 14 million people and sparking severe food shortages and disease outbreaks in Sudan’s most affected regions.