September 2025 – More than 1.27 million Sudanese refugees were sheltering in eastern Chad as of mid-September, according to the latest figures from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). The eastern provinces of Chad, particularly Wadi Fira, Sila, and Ouaddai, have become the main refuge for tens of thousands fleeing the war in Darfur, amid what aid groups describe as some of the world’s most desperate humanitarian conditions.
Numbers and Movements
Mass displacement began with the outbreak of fighting in Sudan in April 2023, peaking as attacks escalated in the Darfur region. According to UN reports, Chad’s borders have received hundreds of thousands of refugees through the Adré, Tine, and Wadi Fira crossings, where new arrivals are first registered at informal reception sites before being gradually relocated to organized camps such as Dougui, Bredjing, and Treguine.
According to UNHCR, more than 60% of the refugees have already been relocated from informal sites to more organized camps, while tens of thousands remain stranded along the border in makeshift conditions, facing severe shortages of shelter and basic services.
Living Conditions Inside the Camps
Despite ongoing humanitarian efforts, camps in eastern Chad remain gripped by dire conditions. The designated areas for asylum are stretched far beyond their capacity, with camps such as Farchana, Bredjing, Treguine, and Dougui sheltering tens of thousands of displaced people in makeshift tents.
Refugees complain of food shortages and shrinking aid rations, while the World Food Programme (WPF) has warned of possible cuts in distributions due to funding gaps. Water is also extremely scarce, forcing many to walk long distances to obtain it, while the camps lack adequate sanitation facilities conditions that have fueled outbreaks of cholera and other diseases linked to malnutrition.
The Health Crisis
Refugee camps are grappling with a worsening health emergency that threatens the lives of thousands. In recent months, cholera outbreaks have been reported in newly established sites such as Dougui, amid severe shortages of clean water and sanitation facilities. Medical organizations, including Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF), have confirmed that border settlements are struggling with the spread of diarrhea, malaria, and acute malnutrition, particularly among children and pregnant women.
Health workers point out that field medical centers lack essential medicines and supplies, forcing some patients to travel long distances in search of treatment. In many cases, the delays or the unavailability of medications ultimately lead to patients’ deaths.
Human Stories
Behind the stark numbers, the testimonies of refugees in eastern Chad’s camps lay bare the daily ordeal endured by those who fled Darfur.
In Iridimi camp (locally known as irdimi) in Wadi Fira state, one refugee woman recounts:
“The greatest impact of the war is losing children and loved ones, it leaves a deep psychological wound for everyone. There are cases of violence, rape, and displacement, and the humanitarian situation inside the camp is extremely difficult. We suffer from a severe shortage of shelter materials, with not enough housing even for small families. Collecting firewood has also become dangerous, as women and children are forced to travel long distances and risk attacks. Education is under threat too, three schools remain unfinished, and half of the children are still without classrooms.”
In Kari Yari camp, Fatima Ahmed Ali, a refugee and mother of three, shares her daily struggle:
“Nutrition is our greatest concern. Some charitable initiatives have stopped, and the food rations are not enough, we receive only four loaves of bread per person for long stretches. Prices in the market are extremely high, and we have no money, so many children continue to suffer from malnutrition.”
She adds: “The rainy season has brought malaria, diarrhea, and cholera, yet the hospital has no medicines. Even if a doctor gives us a prescription, we cannot afford to buy it in the market. Water is scarce and often unsafe to drink, and education is also suffering, with around 8,000 children left without schools or basic learning materials.”
She concludes: “We are deprived of all the essentials of life—food, water, healthcare, and education—and see no hope except in the end of the war and returning to our homes with dignity.”
Impact on Host Communities
The repercussions of the refugee influx have not been limited to those inside the camps, but have also deeply affected host communities in Chad’s eastern provinces. The massive arrival of refugees has placed immense strain on already scarce resources in impoverished areas with fragile infrastructure.
Local residents report that the prices of basic goods have risen sharply with growing demand, while pressure on water sources has fueled competition between refugees and host populations. In some border villages, access to firewood and grazing land has even sparked sporadic tensions.
At the same time, many Chadians have shown solidarity with the refugees, with local families offering shelter to new arrivals and rural communities sharing their limited resources. However, humanitarian organizations warn that if the situation persists without additional support, relations between refugees and host communities could deteriorate.
International Response and Funding Gap
UN humanitarian agencies have rolled out several emergency response plans to support Sudanese refugees and host communities in eastern Chad, yet these efforts are hindered by a severe funding shortfall:
• UNICEF has warned that current funding is insufficient to expand health, nutrition, and education services to meet the daily surge in refugee numbers.
• The World Food Programme (WFP) noted that the funding gap could force it to scale back food assistance, putting millions of refugees and host communities at risk.
• The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) stressed that the strain on shelter, water, and health services in eastern provinces has already exceeded current response capacities.
• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported that the conversion of farmland into camp sites and mounting pressure on schools and health facilities are raising concerns among local communities, underscoring the need for long-term solutions alongside emergency interventions.
The Political and Human Rights Dimension
The mass displacement into eastern Chad is not only a humanitarian crisis but also reflects grave political and human rights implications.
The UN Human Rights Council’s fact-finding mission has documented widespread violations in Darfur, including ethnically targeted attacks, mass killings, rape, and forced displacement. UN reports indicate that these abuses may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity, driving tens of thousands to flee across the border into Chad.
The UN Refugee Agency has also warned that without a political solution to the conflict, refugee flows will continue, threatening the stability of eastern Chad and the wider region.
An Uncertain Future
As waves of displacement from Darfur to eastern Chad show no sign of slowing, the future of more than 1.27 million Sudanese refugees remains uncertain, hanging on the trajectory of the war in their homeland. The harsh conditions in the camps, marked by shortages of food, water, medicine, and education, underscore that humanitarian measures alone will not suffice without genuine political efforts to bring the conflict to an end.
Observers stress that any future settlement in Sudan must prioritize the refugees’ right to safe and voluntary return to their homes, while ensuring justice for victims and accountability for those responsible for atrocities.
Until that is achieved, Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad remain caught between the harsh reality of displacement, the painful memories of the war that forced them to flee, and a lingering hope of one day returning to their homes with dignity and honor.
