At least 42 people have been killed in clashes between rival groups in eastern Chad, according to authorities on Thursday.
The desert region, situated in the expansive Sahel country, is frequently plagued by land disputes.
Although the public security ministry did not specify the parties involved or the duration of the conflict, the area commonly witnesses confrontations between settled farmers and nomadic herders, along with other factions, over land rights.
The latest violence led to 175 people being arrested at the scene, where “a large part” of the village of Tileguey in Ouaddai province was “set on fire by armed men,” the ministry said in a statement.
“This deadly conflict has so far left 42 dead,” the ministry said on its website.
Chadian media outlets indicated that the conflict endured for multiple days, with some reports suggesting it commenced on Sunday. However, the accuracy of these reports could not be confirmed with the authorities.
“The situation is currently under control, but I am actively working to mediate between the conflicting parties,” stated Public Security Minister General Mahamat Charfadine Margui.
The minister confirmed his presence at the location, approximately 700 kilometres (435 miles) east of the capital, N’Djamena. Leading a government and military delegation, his objective is to thoroughly investigate the incident.
In the eastern and southern regions of Chad, where a significant portion of the population is armed, clashes frequently erupt. Farmers often accuse herders of allowing livestock to encroach upon their land, damaging crops in the process.
The majority of conflicts between herders and farmers occur within the annual transhumance corridors, characterised by dense vegetation ideal for crops and grazing livestock.
However, in Ouaddai, disputes predominantly revolve around land ownership, often escalating to violence between villages and clans vying for control over plots of land.
These longstanding disputes, rooted in ancestral claims, have intensified in recent years across this region of the continent, impacting Sudan, South Sudan, Central African Republic, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Chad. Both the southern and northern parts of Chad share borders with the Sahelian strip.
Herders typically originate from the arid Sahelian regions, seeking to settle in more fertile areas where they can sustainably raise their camels and sheep.
