Chad, April 29 (Darfur24)
Six Sudanese refugee women were injured after tribal clashes in eastern Chad spread into the Ardemi camp in Dar Tama, triggering panic among displaced communities before the situation returned to a fragile calm.
A local official told the media that the fighting between Chadian factions left around 42 people dead and 20 others injured, including the six Sudanese refugees, after violence spilled into areas near the Sudanese border.
Halima Idris, a refugee in the camp, told Darfur24 that the wounded were evacuated for treatment, adding that the spread of clashes into the camp heightened fear among residents already living in precarious conditions.
Another refugee, Hussein Musa, warned that the presence of members of the rival tribes within armed groups operating in Sudan has deepened concerns about the camps being drawn into the conflict. He called for stronger protection measures and restrictions on the movement of armed men near refugee sites.
Sources confirmed that the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) transferred the injured to safer locations for medical care. At the same time, Chadian authorities intervened to contain the violence and restore relative stability, particularly in the Wadi Fira region, home to the Ardemi and Touloum camps.
The clashes reportedly began as a dispute between women from two tribes before escalating into armed confrontations following the killing of a girl. The violence left dozens dead and led to the burning of homes and villages.
Chadian President Mohamed Idriss Déby visited the area as part of efforts to de-escalate tensions and halt the fighting.
Tensions along the Sudan–Chad border have been rising in recent months. In March, a drone strike targeted a gathering of Chadian civilians in the border town of Mabrouka, prompting authorities to temporarily close the border before reopening it.
The town of Al-Tina remains one of the last strongholds of the Sudanese army and allied forces in Darfur, following the Rapid Support Forces’ takeover of most major cities in the region.