Two Chadian soldiers killed in drone strike near Sudan border
December 26, 2025 (N’DJAMENA) – A drone attack killed two Chadian soldiers at a military camp near the Sudanese border before dawn on Friday, local authorities and security sources said.
The strike occurred in the border town of Tine, targeting a military installation in an area that has become a critical focal point for refugees fleeing the conflict in Sudan. Hamit Hassan, the prefect of the department including Tine, confirmed that two soldiers were killed and a third was seriously injured.
A Chadian military intelligence officer told Reuters that the drone had entered Chadian airspace from Sudan. However, it remains unclear whether the device was operated by the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) or the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
“We are still in the process of confirming the origin of this drone,” the officer said, speaking on condition of anonymity. “If it is a Sudanese military drone, we will exercise our right to retaliate.”
Following the incident, the Chadian air force base in the eastern city of Abeche was placed on high alert, and ground reinforcements were deployed to Tine to secure the border.
The attack comes amid a surge in drone warfare within Sudan, which has increasingly spilt over into neighbouring territories. Earlier this month, similar strikes were reported near the Adre border crossing, further straining relations between N’Djamena and the warring factions in Sudan.
Neither the Sudanese army nor the RSF have issued a formal response to the incident.
Tine currently serves as a vital transit point for thousands of Sudanese refugees. Humanitarian organizations have warned that such attacks jeopardize relocation efforts, which are already hampered by a severe lack of funding for water, sanitation, and shelter at safer inland camps.
According to the International Rescue Committee (IRC), the ongoing war in Sudan has displaced more than 12 million people, creating one of the world’s most acute humanitarian and security crises.