At Least 42 Killed in Eastern Chad as Water Well Dispute Escalates into Ethnic Clashes

At least 42 people have been killed and 10 injured in fighting between rival ethnic groups in eastern Chad. The conflict began as a dispute over a water well in Wadi Fira province. It started between two families before escalating into a cycle of reprisal attacks that spread over a wide area, with villages burned down.

A delegation led by deputy Prime Minister Limane Mahamat was sent to the area, Chadian authorities said. They stated that the situation in the area had been brought under control. Deadly communal clashes are common in Chad, often triggered by competition over water and grazing land amid disputes between farmers and herders, as well as ethnic tensions.

Refugees fleeing the civil war in neighbouring Sudan arrived in Chad in recent months. These arrivals have further raised tensions over resources and security. Deputy Prime Minister Limane Mahamat said the government was taking all necessary measures to prevent the conflict in Sudan from destabilising the border area.

In November, 33 people were killed over a disputed well in Dibebe in the south-west of Chad. According to the International Crisis Group think-tank, 1,000 people were killed and 2,000 injured in about 100 clashes between 2021 and 2024. Amnesty International documented seven episodes of herder-farmer violence between 2022 and 2024, resulting in 98 deaths.

Amnesty International said the clashes were driven by climate change and other issues. It added that despite the recurring violence, authorities had failed to adequately protect the population.