UAV event in Chad on Wed 18th March 2026

On 18 March 2026, in the evening, a Sudanese armed group (likely RSF, based on location, previous attacks and evidence) launched a drone strike against a funerary vigil at a Ramadan iftar table in a place in the north of Tine-Djagaraba (Iriba, Wadi Fira). The Chadian government condemned the attack, reporting the death of 17 civilians, completely closing the border with Sudan, putting the Chadian army on maximum alert and moving troops towards the Sudanese border. The RSF and Sudanese Armed Forces denied responsibility, accused each other and condemned the attack through official statements. The ample majority of the Chadian and Sudanese media outlets confirmed the death toll published by the Chadian government. Other Chadian media outlets accused the Chadian army of having conducted the drone strike without publishing any evidence. International media mentioned the death of at least 19 civilians. Reliable sources reported that in the first hours after the attack, RSF's related accounts published videos celebrating successful drone strikes in the Mabrouka area of Tine carried out by Colombian mercenaries. The video was later deleted as the RSF understood that they had targeted Chadian territory and killed civilians. 17 fatalities coded as per the lowest estimate available.