Drones launched from Khartoum kill civilians in Chad as Sudan's war spills over

A deadly drone attack launched from Khartoum struck the Chadian border town of Tiné on March 19, 2026, killing at least 17 civilians according to Chadian government and UN figures.

“Yesterday, it was reported that at least 17 people were killed in the Chadian border town of Tiné following a drone attack launched from Khartoum”

Agenzia Nova

Local sources to Radio France Internationale reported the death toll reached 19, with dozens more wounded in the attack.

Al-Jazeera Net

The attack represents a dangerous escalation of Sudan's civil conflict as it spills across international borders, directly threatening neighboring Chad's stability.

Chadian authorities immediately attributed responsibility to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by General Mohamed Hamdan 'Hemeti' Dagalo.

The RSF in turn accused the Sudanese army of carrying out the 'terrorist attack' using drones.

This mutual accusation reflects the ongoing pattern of blame-shifting between the warring factions.

President Mohammed Idriss Deby convened an emergency Defense and Security Council meeting in response.

Deby ordered the Chadian military to prepare for retaliation against any further attacks from Sudanese territory.

The attack occurs within the broader context of Sudan's devastating civil war that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces.

This conflict has already killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than 12 million individuals.

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Approximately one million refugees have crossed into Chad from Sudan.

The desert nature of the 1,400-kilometer Chad-Sudan border presents significant challenges for effective border control.

It is increasingly difficult to prevent fighters from slipping across and the conflict from spreading to neighboring countries.

Most of the Darfur region is now under RSF control, which seized the city of El Fasher in October 2025.

This further complicates the security situation along the border.

This recent drone strike follows a previous rocket attack at the end of February that had already killed 15 military personnel and eight civilians in the same border region.

This indicates a pattern of escalating cross-border violence that threatens to pull Chad directly into the Sudanese conflict.

In response to the drone attack, Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby has taken decisive military and diplomatic actions.

“Yesterday, it was reported that at least 17 people were killed in the Chadian border town of Tiné following a drone attack launched from Khartoum”

Agenzia Nova

He ordered the closure of the eastern border with Sudan except for humanitarian aid and refugee passages.

Deby placed the Chadian army on high alert with enhanced deployments along the border.

The presidency confirmed that a standing order of retaliation applies to any Sudanese belligerent.

This specifically mentions both General Al Burhan's SAF and Dagalo's RSF.

This indicates Chad's willingness to use military force in response to cross-border attacks.

Chadian security forces launched a large-scale operation to seize weapons and military vehicles.

They conducted house-to-house searches for weapons in the Tiné area.

Several Sudanese refugees were arrested suspected of involvement in security-related disturbances.

Approximately 200 military vehicles have been deployed along the border.

Eyewitnesses reported some Chadian units entered Sudanese territory to confiscate military equipment.

Deby expressed frustration at failed mediation efforts.

He noted Chad has attempted to facilitate peace but both warring factions have ignored diplomacy.

Deby accused Sudanese forces of placing the humanitarian burden of the conflict on Chad.

The international community has expressed growing concern about the escalating regional tensions.

The United Nations through spokesman Farhan Haq warned that the use of drones expands the battlefield and increases civilian casualties.

Al-Jazeera Net

The UN called on the Sudanese parties to respect international humanitarian law and return to negotiations.

The attack raises fears that Chad could become militarily involved inside Sudan.

This could potentially open a new front in the conflict and further complicate an already dire humanitarian crisis.

While the Sudanese parties continue to exchange accusations, the UN calls for de-escalation and a return to dialogue.

There are growing fears that the Sudanese war could become an open regional conflict.

The drone strike on Tiné exposes the fragility of the border and the depth of risks to civilians.

Chad faces a double challenge: protecting its territory and preventing being drawn into a regional war.

Such a conflict could destabilize the entire Sahel region.