On Monday, February 23, 2026, Chad announced the immediate closure of its entire 1,400-kilometer border with Sudan “until further notice,” following a deadly escalation that saw Sudan’s civil war spill onto Chadian territory over the weekend.
The decision marks one of the most serious cross-border incidents since Sudan’s conflict erupted in April 2023 and underscores the growing regional destabilization caused by the war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Deadly Clashes in Tina
The closure was triggered by intense fighting on Saturday in the border town of Tina, a strategic hub in Darfur with strong ties to the Zaghawa community and one of the last remaining SAF strongholds in the region.
According to Chadian authorities, RSF fighters launched an assault to seize the town. During the chaos, armed elements reportedly crossed into Chadian territory and attacked a Chadian military position. Officials in N’Djamena confirmed that five soldiers and three civilians were killed, while 12 others were wounded.
The RSF claimed it had taken “full control” of Tina on Saturday. However, the SAF disputed that account, stating its forces had repelled the attack and retained positions in the area. Independent verification of battlefield claims remains difficult due to restricted access and communications disruptions.
Chad’s government described the cross-border attack as a direct violation of its sovereignty and said the temporary closure was necessary to prevent further incursions and ensure national security.
Humanitarian Corridors Severed
The shutdown delivers a severe blow to humanitarian operations in eastern Chad and western Sudan.
Chad currently hosts nearly 1.1 million Sudanese refugees, making it one of the largest refugee-hosting countries in Africa. Since the fall of El Fasher in late October 2025, more than 30,000 additional refugees have crossed into eastern Chad, according to regional officials and aid agencies.
The closure suspends critical aid corridors, including the Adré and Tina crossings, which serve as primary routes for delivering food, medical supplies, and emergency relief into Darfur. Humanitarian groups warn that any prolonged disruption could accelerate famine conditions already confirmed in multiple areas.
Chadian authorities stated that “exceptional exemptions” may be granted for humanitarian shipments, but only with strict prior government authorization. Aid organizations are now scrambling to negotiate access while preparing contingency plans.
Conflict Nears Third Year
The border crisis unfolds as Sudan’s war between the SAF, led by General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the RSF, commanded by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, widely known as “Hemedti,” approaches its third year.
Famine conditions were confirmed this month in Um Baru and Kernoi in North Darfur, adding to existing famine zones in El Fasher and Kadugli in South Kordofan. Aid officials warn that Darfur faces one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes in the world, with millions displaced and food systems collapsed.
On February 19, a United Nations fact-finding mission reported that the RSF’s siege and capture of El Fasher bore the “hallmarks of genocide,” citing systematic attacks against civilian populations and ethnically targeted violence. The RSF has denied allegations of genocide and war crimes.
Sudan’s economy has also deteriorated sharply. The country’s mining sector reported losses estimated at $7 billion this week after the RSF seized control of the strategic Heglig oil field in December, cutting off a key source of state revenue.
Regional Implications
Chad’s border closure signals a dangerous new phase in the conflict, where the violence is no longer contained within Sudan’s borders. Security analysts warn that further cross-border incidents could destabilize fragile neighboring states already struggling with refugee flows, armed group activity, and limited resources.
For now, the border remains sealed, humanitarian access is constrained, and diplomatic efforts to broker a ceasefire continue to falter — leaving civilians on both sides of the frontier to bear the escalating cost of a war with no clear end in sight.
