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

Opening the proceedings, Senate President Dr. Haroun Kabadi highlighted that despite the deployment of defense and security forces across several provinces, numerous conflicts continued to erupt. He cited incidents in Mayo-Kebbi Ouest and Salamat in June 2025, as well as in 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, located in the Logone Occidental province, eventually leading to a signed agreement on July 5, 2025.

Responding directly to Senator Mbaigolmen Sébastien’s inquiry, Minister Aghabache clarified that intercommunal conflicts primarily stem from disputes over water access, land ownership, and tensions between agriculturalists and pastoralists. Before delving into specifics, the minister paused to express profound sympathy for the citizens who had lost their lives or suffered temporary or permanent disabilities due to these communal conflicts across various provinces. He expressed a desire for the senator’s question to encompass the broader issue of communal conflicts, not only in Dougui (Logone Occidental) 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.

The minister further assured the assembly of his department’s full commitment to providing clear answers and implementing tangible solutions to the pressing security challenges confronting Chad.

While acknowledging the existence of specific “pockets of insecurity,” the Minister of Security affirmed that overall national security remains largely maintained. “Indeed, a situation of absolutely perfect security or the complete absence of insecurity exists nowhere in the world,” Minister Aghabache remarked.

He emphasized, however, that these tensions, frequently exploited or manipulated at the local level, cannot be resolved solely through a security presence. Such a presence primarily aims to contain violence and establish conditions conducive to a lasting political and social resolution.

Despite the ongoing presence of isolated incidents, strategies focused on preventing and resolving communal conflicts are considered the most effective means to address the phenomenon at its root. The minister outlined several key causes contributing to the rise and persistence of violent acts across different provinces:

• Conflicts over natural resources: During the rainy season, particularly in eastern, southern, and central Chad, tensions and violence escalate due to damage caused by livestock to agricultural crops. These disagreements often devolve into violent acts of revenge 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 intensify pressure on both agricultural and pastoral lands, fueling conflicts between local communities.
• Absence of clear resource regulations and legal void: 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 drives higher demand for pastures, water, food, and land, further straining fragile ecosystems and local communities.
• Political instrumentalization of tribal affiliations: Certain political actors exploit tribal loyalties to garner support, enhance their influence, or secure personal or political advantages, thereby intensifying local tensions and conflicts.
• Ethnic diversity and tribal structure: Chadian society is remarkably complex, comprising over 200 ethnic groups. The strong emphasis on tribal identity over national identity has contributed to weakening the sense of belonging to the state and the concept of citizenship.
• Influence of neighboring countries’ security situations and regional conflicts: The proliferation of light weapons across borders has made it easier for local communities to access deadly automatic firearms, escalating the intensity of traditional conflicts and increasing their human cost.
• Conflicts related to land ownership and historical boundaries: The cumulative human toll from these conflicts in 2025 reached 318 deaths and 315 injured.

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

However, the senators acknowledged and commended the Minister of Security’s efforts in combating insecurity nationwide, while also stressing that significant work remains.

In response to questions regarding intercommunal conflicts, the Minister of Security urged local leaders, traditional chiefs, and elected representatives to intensify their efforts in raising awareness about the importance of peaceful coexistence and social cohesion to prevent such conflicts. The minister also took the opportunity to present the results of police and gendarmerie operations conducted between 2024 and 2025, which led to 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 were raised and addressed by the minister, including concerns about kidnappings for ransom, particularly in Mayo-Kebbi Ouest, and the abduction of children by the Boko Haram sect in the Lake Province. Regarding the worrisome presence of unidentified foreign nationals in Chad, Senator Mariam Ahmat Djamil specifically highlighted this as a source of insecurity.

Concerning the establishment of new police stations to enhance security, the minister stated that his department is fully committed to this initiative. He noted that the recent creation of several police stations and companies in Abéché, Ouaddaï province, has demonstrably reduced insecurity in that region for some time.