Sudan Drone Attack Kills 17 in Chad's Tine Town

A drone attack originating from Sudan resulted in the deaths of 17 individuals in the border town of Tine, Chad, as reported by the Chadian government on Thursday. This incident marks a significant spillover of the ongoing conflict in Sudan, where the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) have been engaged in combat with the Sudanese army since April 2023.

The Chadian government raised the death toll following an earlier report late Wednesday. The RSF has denied involvement in the drone attack, instead blaming the Sudanese army for the violence.

In response to the escalating situation, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Déby convened a meeting of the defense and security council to discuss military retaliation. The border between Chad and Sudan has been closed since February 23, 2023, to mitigate the risk of conflict spreading.

The ongoing civil war in Sudan has resulted in over ten thousand deaths and displaced approximately 12 million people, with nearly one million seeking refuge in Chad, according to UN reports.