Chad has announced the immediate closure of its border with Sudan, following a series of deadly clashes between Chadian soldiers and armed groups linked to Sudan’s ongoing civil war.

In a statement issued on Monday, February 23, Communications Minister Mahamat Gassim Cherif stated that the decision was motivated by repeated cross-border incidents. “This decision follows repeated incursions and violations committed by the forces involved in the conflict in Sudan on Chadian territory,” he said, adding that the move was intended to halt “any risk of the conflict spreading” into Chad.

Sudan has been embroiled in a brutal conflict for nearly three years, with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces fighting Sudanese government troops. Tens of thousands of people have died in the fighting, and approximately 11 million people have been displaced, resulting in one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, according to the UN.

Chadian authorities claim that violence near the border has increasingly spilled over into their territory. Since December, at least nine Chadian soldiers have reportedly been killed in separate incidents as Sudanese paramilitary fighters conducted operations near their shared border.

The statement reiterated Chad’s position, warning that the country “reserves the right to retaliate against any aggression or violation of the inviolability of its territory and borders.”

The government also confirmed that “cross-border movements of goods and people are suspended” until further notice, but added that “exceptional exemptions” may be granted for humanitarian reasons.

The closure marks a significant increase in tensions along the Chad-Sudan border, as regional governments deal with the consequences of Sudan’s long-running and destabilizing conflict.