On June 1, 2026, General Ali Ahmat Aghabache, Chad’s Minister of Public Security and Immigration, appeared before the Senate to address a pressing oral question with debate initiated by Senator M. Mbaigolmen Sébastien. The session, presided over by Dr Haroun Kabadi, President of the Senate, focused on the persistent violence and insecurity plaguing the nation.

Dr Haroun Kabadi opened the discussion by noting that despite the deployment of defense and security forces across several provinces, numerous conflicts continued to erupt. He specifically cited incidents in Mayo-Kebbi Ouest, Salamat in June 2025, and Hadjar-Lamis on November 4, 2025, which tragically resulted in multiple fatalities. Earlier, on May 14, 2025, a significant clash between herders and farmers occurred in Mandakao, Logone Occidental province, eventually leading to a signed accord on July 5, 2025.

In his comprehensive response to Senator Mbaigolmen Sébastien’s inquiry, Minister Ali Ahmat Aghabache elucidated the core drivers behind intercommunal conflicts. He explained that these disputes frequently revolve around access to water points, land ownership, and tensions between agriculturalists and pastoralists. Before delving into specifics, the Minister offered his profound condolences and observed a moment of silence for all Chadian citizens who lost their lives or suffered temporary or permanent disabilities due to the various communal conflicts across the country. He expressed a preference for the Senator’s oral question to encompass the broader issue of communal conflicts, not just in Dougui, Logone Occidental province, but also in Mayo-Kebbi, Wadi, Sila, Bahr El-Ghazal, Salamat, and more recently, Wadi Fira. “We share the grief of the bereaved families and extend our sincere compassion to all victims of this violence,” he stated emphatically.

The Minister further affirmed his department’s unwavering commitment to providing transparent answers and implementing tangible solutions to the formidable security challenges confronting Chad.

While acknowledging the presence of isolated pockets of insecurity, the Minister of Security reassured the Senate that the overall security situation across the nation remained stable. “Indeed, no country in the world experiences a state of perfectly complete security or an absolute absence of insecurity,” Minister Aghabache declared. He underscored that these tensions, often locally exploited or manipulated, cannot be resolved solely through security presence, which primarily aims to contain violence and foster conditions conducive to lasting political and social resolutions.

Despite the ongoing incidence of certain isolated cases, strategies focused on preventing and resolving communal conflicts are deemed most effective in tackling the root causes of the phenomenon. The Minister summarized the reasons for the escalation and persistence of violent acts across various provinces:

• Conflicts over Natural Resources: Tensions and violent incidents typically intensify during the rainy season in eastern, southern, and central Chad. This surge is primarily due to livestock damaging agricultural crops, with disputes frequently escalating into violent acts of vengeance rather than peaceful resolution.
• Scarcity of Land and Water: Climate change and drought in northern regions have diminished pastoral resources, compelling herders to migrate southward. Concurrently, population growth and the expansion of cultivated areas heighten pressure on both agricultural and pastoral lands, fueling conflicts among local communities.
• Absence of Clear Resource Regulations and Legal Gaps: The lack of precise maps delineating transhumance corridors, land rights, and agricultural zones creates a legal vacuum that exacerbates disputes between groups.
• Demographic Growth: An increasing population translates into higher demand for pastures, water, food, and land, intensifying pressure on fragile ecosystems and local communities.
• Political Exploitation of Tribal Affiliations: Certain political actors manipulate tribal allegiances to mobilize support, enhance their influence, or secure personal or political advantages, thereby aggravating local tensions and conflicts. This aspect highlights a critical concern within African society news.
• Ethnic Diversity and Tribal Structure: Chadian society is remarkably complex, comprising over 200 ethnic groups. The strong prevalence of tribal identity over national identity has weakened the sense of belonging to the state and the concept of citizenship.
• Influence of Neighboring Countries’ Security Situations and Regional Conflicts: The cross-border flow of light weapons has facilitated local communities’ access to deadly automatic firearms, significantly escalating the intensity and human cost of traditional conflicts.
• Land Ownership Disputes and Historical Inter-Community Borders: The cumulative human toll from these conflicts in 2025 reached 318 fatalities and 315 injuries.

Senators posed numerous questions to the Minister, inquiring about the provinces most affected by violence, the measures and mechanisms implemented to reduce violence in specific Chadian provinces and villages, and the issue of light weapons proliferation.

While acknowledging and commending the Minister of Security’s efforts in combating insecurity nationwide, the senators emphasized that significant work remains ahead.

Responding to questions on intercommunal conflicts, the Minister urged local leaders, traditional chiefs, and elected officials to prioritize awareness campaigns promoting the importance of coexistence and social cohesion to prevent such disputes. He also took the opportunity to present a summary of police and gendarmerie operations between 2024 and 2025, reporting the seizure of over 4,000 weapons, the arrest of more than 1,300 brigands, and the confiscation of substantial quantities of drugs.

Further questions addressed by the Minister included kidnappings for ransom, particularly prevalent in Mayo-Kebbi Ouest, and child abductions by the Boko Haram sect in the Lake Province. Senator Mariam Ahmat Djamil also raised concerns about the alarming presence of unidentified foreigners in Chad, deeming it a source of insecurity.

Regarding the establishment of new police stations to enhance security, the Minister confirmed his department is actively working on this initiative. He noted that the recent creation of several police stations and companies in Abéché, Ouaddaï province, has already led to a reduction in insecurity in that region for some time.