Chad has closed its eastern border with Sudan after clashes linked to Sudan’s civil war killed several Chadian soldiers and civilians.

The government said the closure aims to prevent the conflict from spilling over, protect citizens and refugees, and maintain territorial stability, though humanitarian exceptions may be allowed.

Fighting between Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and government-aligned militias recently killed five Chadian soldiers and three civilians in the border town of Tina.

Chad hosts nearly a million Sudanese refugees, but the closure will make it harder for those fleeing violence to find safety and could reduce aid access, Al-Jazeera has reported.

The Sudanese civil war, ongoing since April 2023, has caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced 11 million people, creating a major humanitarian crisis.