Mirian Gom 
N’DJAMENA, Chad – A drone strike from war-torn Sudan has killed 17 people in the border town of Tine in eastern Chad, authorities confirm on Thursday, escalating fears of regional spillover from Sudan’s ongoing conflict.
The Chadian government says the late Wednesday attack targeted civilians, revising an earlier death toll upward. Several others are reported injured.
“Despite firm warnings and the closure of the border… the town of Tine has again been the target of a drone attack,” a government spokesman says. “This latest assault of extreme gravity has caused the death of 17 of our compatriots.”
The strike is the latest cross-border incident linked to fighting between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), ongoing since April 2023.
A military source initially attributes the strike to the RSF, though the group denies responsibility, accusing the Sudanese army.
President Mahamat Idriss Deby convenes an emergency security meeting and orders immediate retaliation.
“He has instructed the army to respond to any attack originating from Sudan,” the presidency says.
Chad had already closed its border on February 23 to prevent further escalation. However, the vast and porous frontier—stretching nearly 1,400 kilometres—remains difficult to secure.
The Darfur region, bordering Chad, has seen intensified violence, with RSF forces consolidating control over key towns.
According to the United Nations, Sudan’s conflict has killed tens of thousands and displaced over 12 million people, including nearly one million refugees into Chad.
The latest attack raises urgent concerns about the widening regional impact of the war.
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Oluwatobi Adu 
Korede Abdullah 