A water access dispute between two families in eastern Chad turned deadly over the weekend, resulting in 42 fatalities and 10 injuries as violence spiraled out of control, according to the nation’s deputy prime minister.
Deputy Prime Minister Limane Mahamat visited the village of Igote in Wadi Fira province on Sunday, where the deadly confrontations took place on Saturday near Chad’s border with Sudan. The injured victims were transported to a regional medical facility for treatment.
According to Mahamat, the violence expanded across a considerable geographic area, forcing military units to step in. The deputy prime minister described the army’s “swift response” as effective in stopping the bloodshed, stating the situation is now “under control.”
Mahamat announced plans to begin a “customary mediation” initiative in the affected village while also launching legal proceedings to identify those criminally liable for the violence.
Resource-related conflicts between communities are frequently reported throughout the Central African nation. Similar violence erupted last year when disputes between agricultural workers and livestock herders in southwestern Chad resulted in 42 deaths and numerous destroyed residences.
The deputy prime minister pledged the government would implement “all necessary measures” to maintain stability in the border region where the deadly confrontations occurred.
Eastern Chad has been accommodating refugees escaping Sudan’s ongoing war for months, creating mounting strain on available resources and regional security. Since the Sudanese conflict started, hundreds of thousands of refugees have crossed into Chad seeking safety.
Chad sealed its border with Sudan in February “until further notice,” describing the closure as an effort to prevent conflict from spreading into Chadian territory following multiple incursions by fighters from opposing Sudanese military groups.
The Sudanese war has claimed over 40,000 lives based on United Nations data, though humanitarian organizations believe the actual death toll could be significantly higher.
The ongoing conflict has generated what experts call the world’s most severe humanitarian emergency, displacing more than 14 million people from their communities. The war has also triggered disease outbreaks and created famine conditions in portions of Sudan.
