teleSur
The Revolutionary Dynamic Army (EDRS) carried out attacks on the border province of Moyen-Chari, specifically the town of Maimane, located on the southern border of Chad. The incursion from the Central African Republic was strongly repulsed by government troops, causing about 30 deaths in the EDRS.
The rebel group had attacked some places next to Maimane few days ago, suffering another crushing defeat. The EDRS, like dozens of other rebel groups, has its operations centers in neighboring countries of Chad, such as Libya and the Central African Republic. They usually make brief incursions into Chad from these countries with small, highly mobile forces, using the surprise factor in their favor.
The constant attacks by these rebel military groups along the southern and northern borders of the country have generated a state of deep insecurity in the bordering towns of Chad. These irregular troops often commit crimes and vexations against the population. As reported to EFE by a resident of Maimane named Jonas Narayam, “We all thought that the attacks had ended, but this morning the shots also woke us up. Fear has settled throughout the town.”
The Chadian army is used to these dispersed border micro-attacks. A constant state of alert and systematic surveillance of the areas and reports from residents have allowed it to contain many of the incursions into the country recently.
Colonel Seid Ali, who led the Chadian Army’s counterattack to the rebel incursion in Maimane, informed EFE of the high combative status of his troops. “They often attack and then flee to the RCA. We have mobilized more troops in this area to deal with the situation. At the moment, the situation is under control,” he said.
Memsol Nadjiyenan is 1 of 19 UN Volunteers serving @UNDP‘s Regional Stabilization Facility in #Chad. In areas of the Lake Chad Basin suffering from violence by insurgent groups, these #volunteers are committed to supporting communities despite the risks: https://t.co/Bz7m7ngXwI
— UN Volunteers (@UNVolunteers)
May 2, 2023
The other strategy assumed by the Chadian Army is preventive attacks on the rebel troops in their own camps. The army carried out an important incursion into Central African last May.
Most of these actions have been carried out in the north of the country, specifically in the south of Libya, where the largest number of insurgent armed movements are located.
Since the sudden death of its president, Idriss Déby in 2021, Chad has fallen into a deep crisis, which in turn has jeopardized security in a region that was already suffering the effects of interethnic warfare.
