At least 42 people were killed and 10 injured in violent clashes over access to water in eastern Chad’s Wadi Fira province on April 26–27, 2026.
The fighting broke out between two local groups in Igote village, an area already under strain due to a surge of refugees fleeing conflict in neighboring Sudan. Authorities said the dispute escalated rapidly into deadly violence before security forces intervened to restore order.
Chad’s deputy prime minister confirmed the army has since stabilized the situation, with mediation efforts and legal proceedings underway to prevent further unrest.
Resource-related conflicts are common in eastern Chad, where water scarcity and population pressure have intensified tensions among communities. The region hosts hundreds of thousands of Sudanese refugees, placing additional strain on already limited resources. The latest violence highlights growing concerns over climate stress and humanitarian pressures fueling deadly local disputes in the Sahel.
