N'DJAMENA: Chad closed its eastern border with Sudan on Monday after weekend clashes linked to Sudan's civil war killed five Chadian soldiers, two sources told Reuters.
The conflict in Sudan between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which erupted in April 2023, has periodically spilled over into Chadian territory, causing casualties and property damage.
A Chadian official told Reuters that clashes on Saturday between the RSF and militia fighters loyal to Sudan's government in the border town of Tine killed five soldiers and three civilians and wounded 12 people.
A border guard officer in Tine confirmed the deaths of the five soldiers and said additional security measures were needed to protect civilians on the Chadian side.
The two sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to the media, said more Chadian troops were being deployed to the area.
Chad's government said on Monday that the border would remain closed until further notice, citing "repeated incursions and violations committed by forces in Sudan's conflict."
The move "aims to prevent any risk of the conflict spreading to our soil, to protect our fellow citizens and refugee populations, and to guarantee the stability and territorial integrity of our country," a government statement said.
Sudan's army and the RSF did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Last year, a drone attack killed two Chadian soldiers, according to local authorities and a security source, though it was unclear who carried out the attack.
"One thing is certain: whether we like it or not, Chad now appears to be a party to the conflict," said Ahmat Yacoub from the Center for Studies for the Development and Prevention of Extremism, a think tank.
Chad says Sudan border closed until further notice
https://arab.news/ykr3s
Chad says Sudan border closed until further notice
- The border with Sudan was being closed until further notice, the Chadian government said
- The decision follows several clashes between Chadian soldiers and armed groups in Sudan's civil war on its territory
Trump ‘very disappointed’ with UK’s Starmer for blocking use of air bases, Telegraph says
- UK PM then said bases could be used in “defensive” operations
- Trump says it took “too long” for Starmer to change his mind
LONDON: Donald Trump said he was “very disappointed” with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for not allowing the US to use the Diego Garcia air base to carry out strikes on Iran, the Daily Telegraph quoted the US president as saying in an interview.
Britain had reportedly initially denied the US permission to conduct air strikes from its bases, but on Sunday evening Starmer said he was accepting a request for their use in any “defensive” strikes the US wanted to make against Iranian targets.
In an interview published on Monday Trump told the British newspaper that it took “too long” for Starmer to change his mind.
“That’s probably never happened between our countries before,” he told the Telegraph, adding: “It sounds like he was worried about the legality.”
Trump said Starmer should have approved from the get-go the American use of Diego Garcia — a strategically important US-UK air base in the Indian Ocean — saying Iran was responsible for killing “a lot of people from your country.”
Britain was not involved in the joint US-Israel air strikes on Iran that killed the country’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on Saturday.
Since attacks on Iran started on Saturday, Iran has been targeting Gulf countries with missiles, and on Sunday an Iranian-made drone hit Britain’s RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus, causing limited damage and no casualties.
Trump said it was “useful” that the US would now be able to launch operations from Diego Garcia, as he also criticized a deal Starmer has made over the sovereignty of the Chagos Islands, where Diego Garcia is based.
