Chad Closes Borders with Sudan Amid Escalating Tineh Clashes
Exclusive – Brown Land
Since the afternoon of Saturday, February 21, 2026, the Tineh region in North Darfur, on the border with Chad, has witnessed an escalation in military clashes. The Rapid Support Forces (RSF) militia claimed control over the area via its digital platforms, while the Joint Forces allied with the army denied these claims. The latter confirmed they had repelled the attack, inflicted losses in lives and equipment on the militia, and succeeded in protecting civilians.
In light of these clashes, a government statement was issued today, February 23, 2026, by the Chadian Ministry of Information, announcing the closure of the borders between Chad and Sudan. The move aims to prevent the conflict from spreading into Chadian territory and to protect citizens and refugees. Transport movement has also been suspended, with exceptions for humanitarian needs subject to prior authorization from the competent authorities. The statement further asserted the government’s right to respond to any aggression or violation of its territorial integrity.
In this regard, Minni Arko Minawi condemned the attack, describing it as the targeting of unarmed citizens on ethnic and racial grounds. He stated that this attack confirms the militia’s intentions to displace certain tribes from the Darfur region and impose a new demographic reality through force and weapons. This coincides with the release of a report on indicators of genocide in El Fasher by the Independent International Fact-Finding Mission. The report describes the actions of the Rapid Support Forces in El Fasher as bearing the hallmarks of genocide, characterized by targeting based on identity, ethnicity, gender, and political affiliation through mass killings, various forms of sexual violence, arbitrary detention, and cruel treatment. These violations are coupled with an 18-month siege that has resulted in living conditions incompatible with survival.
The Tineh region holds high strategic importance due to its location on the border strip between Sudan and Chad, making it a pivotal point in the military conflict and regional balance. Tineh is one of the two crossings designated by the Sudanese government for the entry of humanitarian and relief aid from Chad into Darfur; it is viewed as a vital lifeline for the supply of food and medicine to civilians amidst the current crisis. Any damage to this area represents a real pressure on food and medical supplies, amid concerns and warnings from international organizations regarding the RSF’s repeated targeting of convoys, civilians, and health facilities, leading to broad humanitarian repercussions.
These attacks come amid the escalating pace of the ongoing war in Sudan since April 2023, which was described in a United Kingdom statement to the UN Security Council as the worst humanitarian crisis of the twenty-first century.
