At least 42 people were killed in eastern Chad after a clash between two families at a water well escalated, government officials said late Sunday.
Community conflict over resources is common in the country, fueled by farmer-herder tensions.
In recent years, Chad has faced increasing pressure on its resources, hosting more than 1.5 million refugees in an already resource-starved country.
Army had to intervene
“The violence spread to a large area, prompting the army to intervene,” Deputy Prime Minister Limane Mahamat said during a visit to the village in Wadi Fira province near the Sudanese border.
Mahamat noted that the army’s “swift response” helped prevent the clashes. The situation is now “under control”, he said.
Officials visiting the area have initiated a traditional mediation process. Meanwhile, judicial proceedings have begun to determine criminal responsibility.
Due to extreme weather, community clashes over water resources are becoming more common in Chad. Last November, at least 33 people died as a result of a dispute over a water well in Hadjer-Lamis province in western Chad.
Chad faces multifaceted challenges
Chad is home to 200 ethnic groups and 100 languages. With more than 42% of the population living below the poverty line, Chad is one of the poorest countries in the world.
Between 2021 and 2024, nearly 100 clashes broke out between farmers and herders’ groups in the southern and central provinces. According to the , these conflicts over agricultural land and grazing areas have resulted in more than 1,000 deaths and 2,000 injuries. Estimates by the International Crisis Group (ICG)).
In terms of water security, united nations dataindicates that only 52% of the total population in Chad has access to basic drinking water services, with this figure falling to 44% in rural areas.
Since the war in neighboring Sudan began in 2023, Chad has welcomed more than 900,000 Sudanese refugees on its eastern border. Chad has one of the largest refugee populations per capita in Africa.
Scarcity of water resources is a major challenge in refugee-hosting areas in eastern Chad.
Edited by: Srinivas Majumdaru