RSF admits border clash as Chad says seven soldiers killed

Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on Monday acknowledged that its troops clashed with the Chadian army after crossing into Chadian territory, describing the incident as an “unintentional mistake” and expressing regret over the deaths.

The admission came after the spokesperson for the Chadian government, Qassem Sharif, announced last Friday that an RSF armed incursion into Chad had killed seven Chadian soldiers and wounded others near Jargeira in North Darfur, close to the eastern Chad border. The area has repeatedly changed hands between the RSF and the Joint Force amid a week of heavy fighting.

In a statement issued on Monday, the RSF said the incursion occurred while its forces were pursuing Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) units and allied Joint Force fighters, whom it accused of entering Sudan from Chad as part of a “calculated plan” to provoke a confrontation between the RSF and N’Djamena.

The RSF said its units crossed the border without prior knowledge of the exact boundary, citing the similar terrain along the frontier.

The paramilitary force accused Darfur Governor and Sudan Liberation Movement leader Minni Arko Minawi, along with Sudan’s Finance Minister and Justice and Equality Movement leader Jibril Ibrahim, of orchestrating the events to fabricate a crisis with Chad and drag the wider region into conflict.

It said it respected Chad’s sovereignty and internationally recognised borders and pledged to hold those responsible accountable under its internal regulations.

Chad firmly rejected the RSF’s account. Government spokesman Qassem Cherif said RSF fighters had illegally crossed the border and carried out an armed attack targeting Chadian military personnel, resulting in seven deaths, injuries, and material damage. N’Djamena condemned the incursion, calling it a serious violation of its territorial integrity.

Chadian authorities warned that any further movements across its border would trigger an “immediate, strong and firm response”, while reiterating Chad’s declared neutrality in the Sudan war and denying accusations that it supports the RSF.