Al-Tina, March 20 (Darfur24)
The Chadian army has reinforced its presence in the border town of Tine by deploying additional troops and military vehicles following last week’s drone strike that killed 17 people and injured others.
Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby convened an emergency security meeting after the attack, describing it as “a matter of national security that cannot be tolerated” and warning that Chad would not remain passive in the face of repeated incidents.
The Chadian government said the drone was launched from Sudanese territory, accusing parties to the conflict in Sudan of attempting to shift the fighting across the border. The Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have since exchanged blame over the strike.
Residents told Darfur24 that dozens of combat vehicles, armored units, and helicopters have been deployed along the border. The Chadian army has also carried out extensive search operations in the city, arresting dozens on suspicion of cooperating with armed groups and participating in fighting inside Sudan.
A resident, Hussein Abdullah, said security forces conducted house-to-house searches in neighborhoods such as Jaqrabah and Mabrouka, confiscating large quantities of weapons and several four-wheel-drive vehicles.
He added that checkpoints have been established inside the city and along the border to prevent the movement of fighters, while aerial surveillance has been intensified using helicopters.
Salma Ishaq, a volunteer working with refugees, said displacement from Sudan into Chad continues under worsening humanitarian conditions. She noted that some of those killed in last week’s strike were Sudanese civilians attending a funeral in the nearby town of Mabrouka.
The developments come amid ongoing clashes in the Sudanese border town of Al-Tina, where fighting between the Sudanese army and allied joint forces on one side and the RSF on the other has intensified in recent days.
A military source said the army and joint forces had regained control of the city after the clashes, despite continued drone attacks by the RSF, while other sources reported cross-border movements of fighters and weapons.
The Sudanese army has also reportedly sent military reinforcements and logistical support by air to the area.