Clashes between two ethnic groups in eastern Chad on Thursday resulted in the murder of at least 42 individuals, as reported by the public security ministry.
Situated in a desert region of the expansive Sahel country, prone to land conflicts, the ministry refrained from specifying the parties involved or the duration of the violence.
However, such confrontations are customary in the area, often pitting sedentary farmers against nomadic breeders and other groups over land disputes.
The ministry’s statement indicated that the skirmish led to the apprehension of 175 individuals on-site, where armed individuals set ablaze “a large part” of the village of Tileguey in Ouaddai province.
General Mahamat Charfadine Margui, the Public Security Minister, affirmed that the situation was under control, and efforts were underway to reconcile the conflicting parties.
He personally led a government and military delegation to the conflict site with the objective of thoroughly investigating the tragedy.
Land disputes between farmers and herders are prevalent in eastern and southern Chad, where many residents are armed.
Farmers frequently accuse herders of allowing their animals to graze on their land or damage crops, exacerbating tensions in the region.
