Al-Tina, March 25 (Darfur24)
Chadian authorities have halted the entry of Sudanese refugees at the border town of Tine following a deadly drone strike that killed 17 people last week, three local sources in the Chadian border city confirmed on Tuesday.
The move comes amid heightened security measures, including the deployment of Chadian troops along the border with Sudan, after the attack targeted the town of Mabrouka and injured at least 20 others. Parties to the Sudan conflict have been accused of involvement, though no official attribution has been made.
Aziza Mohamed Khater, a Sudanese refugee in Chad, told Darfur24 that crossings between the two countries have been suspended since mid-March, following intensified fighting around Tine and air bombardments affecting Chadian territory.
She said hundreds of civilians remain stranded in forests and valleys near the Sudanese side of Tina, waiting for permission to enter Chad.
Meanwhile, Hussein Abdullah, a resident, reported that the refugee reception center in Tina Jagarba, located in the Bami Jora area, is severely overcrowded and unable to receive additional arrivals.
He added that no refugees have been transferred from the center to the Tulum camp since early February, noting that authorities are considering deportations due to the deteriorating security situation.
In the Tulum camp, conditions are worsening. Fatima Fadl, a spokesperson for refugees in the camp, described the situation as “bad and difficult,” citing a prolonged halt in aid distribution.
“Refugees have not received cash assistance since last November,” she said, warning that families are struggling to meet basic needs.
Fadl added that local volunteer groups are preparing to distribute food baskets to around 250 families in the coming week in an effort to ease the crisis.
Chad currently hosts approximately one million Sudanese refugees across several camps. While many fled earlier waves of violence in Darfur beginning in 2003, a significant number have arrived since the outbreak of war in Sudan in April 2023.