The President of Chad, Mahamat Itno, has ordered an immediate closure of its border with Sudan following a drone attack at its territory which has led to the death of no fewer than 17 people.
Itno, after a held emergency defence and security council meeting, placed the border and it’s military under maximum alert, describing the incident as a fresh incursion which has heightened tensions at the shared boundary.
During the meeting held at the Presidential Palace in Ndjamena yesterday, which had the presence of the Prime Minister, Allamaye Halina, the military and heads of security agencies, Itno reviewed Chad’s diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the ongoing conflict in Sudan, noting that multiple attempts had failed to bring peace to the two countries, hence, leading to the 1,300 kilometre border’s closure.
“We are witnessing the spillover of inter-communal tensions across our border due to shared ethnic and social ties, and this threatens the safety of our citizens,” Itno said at the forum.
“A government delegation will be deployed to the affected areas to assess both human and material losses resulting from this incident.
The President further instructed the armed forces to maintain a state of maximum operational readiness and respond decisively to any further aggression originating from the neighbouring country.
