Government Vows Further Steps To Curb Renewed Violence Amid Rising Fears Of Regional Spillover Instability
At least 42 people have been killed in eastern Chad after a dispute over access to water escalated into deadly intercommunal violence, prompting military intervention.
Authorities say the violence began in the village of Igote in Wadi Fira Province near the border with Sudan. A disagreement between two families over water access spiraled into retaliatory attacks that spread across surrounding communities.
Deputy Prime Minister Limane Mahamat confirmed that at least 42 people were killed, with 10 others injured and taken to a provincial health facility for treatment. Security forces were deployed as the clashes intensified, and officials say a swift military response has now brought the situation under control.
Authorities have launched both a customary mediation process and a formal judicial investigation to determine responsibility for the killings. Intercommunal clashes linked to competition over scarce resources such as land and water are a recurring issue in the region.
