Eastern Chad: Thousands of new Sudanese refugees pour into Eastern Chad daily, humanitarian actors struggle to keep up

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Thousands of Sudanese refugees have arrived in the border town of Tiné in Eastern Chad since fighting escalated in the neighboring Darfur in mid-April. The overwhelming majority of people fleeing armed violence are women and children coming from large Sudanese camps for displaced people called Zamzam and Tawila, where living conditions were already dire.

“On the road we were thirsty, we suffered,” said Ardjoune Oumda Yahya, a Sudanese mother of eight who arrived from Zamzam. An exhausting and dangerous journey has taken the family nearly two weeks. “This morning, we found a little sugar and we had tea. And since then, we have been sitting in the sun. We haven’t eaten anything yet.”

Thousands of vulnerable families sleep in the open with little improvised shelter under the scorching sun, as daily temperatures reach above 40°C. Refugees who lost everything urgently need food, water, and shelter, as humanitarian agencies run against the clock to respond to the massive influx. Funding constraints have undermined the task.

“This is the only water point here and, according to the available statistics, there are more than 8,000 people at this site,” said Allaramadji Dounia, a water engineer at the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) working at the transit site. “One or two weeks from now, this number could double or triple.”

People arrive deeply traumatized, reporting violence, including sexual violence, and almost every family has lost contact with a loved one left behind or lost on the way. Having no information about the whereabouts of family members adds to severe mental distress.

“Some of the children were left behind, and they haven’t arrived yet. The war separated us. We don’t even know where they are,” said Khadija Adam Youssouf, a Sudanese refugee at the displacement site of Tiné.

The ICRC is working with the Red Cross Society of Chad to respond to the most pressing needs, including water, shelter, psycho-social support, free phone calls, and internet services, enabling separated families to reconnect with their loved ones.

For further information please contact:

Alyona Synenko, ICRC Nairobi, +, asynenko@icrc.org

Follow the ICRC on facebook.com/icrc and twitter.com/icrc

LOGLIST

Production Number
On-screen credit	ICRC
Shooting date	08.05.25
Country/Location	Chad, Tiné (border area with Sudan)
Language	French, Arabic
Producer	Alyona Synenko, Abakar Oumar Cherif
Cameraperson	Alyona Synenko
Copyright / Details of restriction if applicable	ICRC

TIME CODE	LOCATION / IMAGE / TIMECODED TRANSCRIPT OF SOUNDBITES
00:00 – 00:10	Sudanese refugees arriving at the border between Chad and Sudan
00:11 – 00:41	Scenes of the transit camp in Tiné
00:42 - 00:56	The family of Gamra Adam Souleymane, Sudanese refugee, mother of ten, in the improvised shelter
00:57 – 01:15	The family of Ardjoune Oumda Yahya, a Sudanese refugee, mother of eight, in the improvised shelter
01:16 – 01:23	*Interview 1, Tiné, Wadi Fira – Ardjoune Oumda Yahya, Sudanese refugee* On the road we were thirsty, we suffered so much. We arrived in Tawila, and from there a vehicle drove us here.
01:24 – 01:30	We have suffered so much. They threatened us with weapons, one of my sons was wounded by bullet, and another one with a knife.
01:31 – 01:35	We suffered; we were thirsty. They haven’t left us anything.
01:36 – 01:41	This morning, we found a little sugar and we had tea. Since then, we have been sitting in the sun. We haven’t eaten yet.
01:43 – 02:13	Shots of the water point installed by the ICRC
02:14 – 02:24 02:25 – 02:40 02:41 – 03:06 03:07 – 03:29 03:29 – 03:57	*Interview 2, Tiné, Wadi Fira – Allaramadji Dounia, Ingenieur Wathab* This is the only water point here, that supplies water to the refugee population. And according to the available statistics, we have more than 8,000 people at this site. And this water point produces 30 cubic meters of water per day. And this 30 cubic meters, if we only stick to the emergency situation ratio 7,5 liters of water per person per day – we are covering the needs of 4,000 people. Initially, we delivered 2,000 emergency kits at the border to distribute to the new arrivals, who arrive with nothing. The only thing they have is the clothes they are wearing. So, we delivered 2000 emergency kits consisting of a tarpaulin, two 20 liters jerry cans, and two bars of soap. Unfortunately, with the influx we say during the past weeks, our stock has finished. In such situations, people are exposed to protection issues, notably the problem of sexual violence. So, what we need to do is respond as quickly as possible and install water points close to their shelters, and also create toilets close to the shelters to reduce their exposure to risks. Maybe a week or two from now, the number we estimate at 8,000 could double or triple. According to our focal points humanitarian service centers, there are some 5,000 people displaced from the Tawila camp and more than 4,000 people displaced from Zamzam camp. We must prepare that there will be some 14,000 people at this site.
03:58 – 04:30	Shots of the water point installed by the ICRC
04:31 – 04:41	Family of Fatna Salim Fadoul, Sudanese refugee, under a tree
04:41 – 04:52	*Interview 3, Tiné, Wadi Fira – Fatna Salim Fadoul, Sudanese refugee* We left my father behind. He is handicapped, he cannnot walk. He is a diabetique abd palalysed. We fled and we left his there, we couldn’t take him with us.
04:53 – 05:04	Some of the children were left behind. They haven’t arrived yet. The war separated us. Some of us have fled and the others haven’t arrived yet. We don’t even know where they are.
05:05 – 05 :23	Shots of the life in the transit site
05:24 – 05:30	*Interview 4, Tiné, Wadi Fira – Khadija Adam Youssouf, Sudanese refugee* Sudan… We cannot return to Sudan; we will stay here.
05:31 – 05:43	Sudan is destroyed. We will stay here, and our children will go to school. Children without education is not acceptable.