15 Jan 2019 | 12:26 AM UTC
Chad: Clashes between armed groups leave dozens dead in north Jan. 12
Fighting between Chadian and Sudanese armed groups in northern Chad on January 12 leaves dozens dead; continued fighting possible in coming weeks and months
Event
Fighting between competing armed groups in the northern Chadian region of Tibesti left dozens of people dead on Saturday, January 12. According to local sources, a Chadian rebel group, the Military Command Council for the Salvation of the Republic (CCMSR), and an N'Djamena-aligned Sudanese armed group, the Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), clashed near a remote gold mine in Kouri Bougoudi, near Bardaï. A JEM leader said that 67 JEM fighters were killed in the clashes while Chadian rebels reported three dead and 12 wounded, though no figures were independently verified. Further clashes between the two groups and with gold miners in the area are possible in the coming weeks and months.
Context
The incident follows a late December clash that left 30 miners dead. Cross-border conflict is common in northern Chad due to the presence of various rebel groups in Libya, Sudan, and Chad.
Advice
Individuals in Chad are advised to monitor the situation, refrain from unnecessary travel to the border regions neighboring Sudan and Libya, and remain vigilant for militant activity.
