At least 42 people were killed in eastern Chad after a dispute between two families at a water well escalated, government officials said late Sunday.
Such community conflicts over resources are frequent in the country, often driven by tensions between farmers and herders.
Chad has faced growing pressure on its resources in recent years, and is already hosting more than 1.5 million refugees in an environment of strained services.
The military had to intervene
“The violence spilled over a large area, prompting the military to intervene,” said Limane Mahamat, the deputy prime minister, during a visit to the village where the clashes began in Wadi Fira province near the Sudanese border.
Mahamat said the military’s “swift response” helped contain the clashes and that the situation is now “under control.”
Officials who visited the area have launched a customary mediation process, while judicial proceedings are underway to determine criminal responsibility.
Conflicts over water resources are becoming more common in Chad, fuelled by extreme weather. Last November, a dispute over a well in Hadjer-Lamis province in western Chad left at least 33 people dead.
Chad faces multifaceted challenges
Chad is home to about 200 ethnic groups and more than 100 languages. With over 42% of the population living below the poverty line, it ranks among the poorest countries globally.
Between 2021 and 2024, southern and central provinces experienced roughly 100 clashes between farming and herding communities. Those agropastoral conflicts have resulted in over 1,000 deaths and about 2,000 injuries, according to estimates by the International Crisis Group (ICG).
On water access, UN data indicates only 52% of Chad’s population has access to basic drinking water services, falling to 44% in rural areas.
Since the war in neighboring Sudan began in 2023, Chad has received more than 900,000 Sudanese refugees along its eastern border, making it one of Africa’s highest refugee-hosting countries per capita.
Scarcity of water is a major issue in eastern areas that host refugees.
Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru