Hundreds of Sudanese troops flee to Chad as fighting rages

Around 320 Sudanese soldiers have fled the fighting raging in their country to neighbouring Chad, the country's defence minister said.

"They arrived in our territory, were disarmed and detained" on Sunday, General Daoud Yaya Brahim told a press conference on Wednesday, saying the troops feared being killed by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces [RSF], which is battling Sudanese Armed Forces of army chief Abdel Fattah al Burhan.

"The situation in Sudan is worrying and deplorable, we have taken all the necessary measures in the face of this crisis," the minister said.

He added, however, that "this war does not concern us, it's between the Sudanese, and we must remain vigilant against all eventualities."

He declined to give further details, on the fifth day of combat in Khartoum and elsewhere in Sudan, which has resulted in the deaths of at least 270 civilians, foreign embassies said on Wednesday.

Brahim said that the country had hosted more than 400,000 Sudanese refugees in the past.

"Today, thousands of refugees are crossing our border to seek protection. We have no choice but to welcome and protect them," Brahim said.

READ MORE:Türkiye works to broker ceasefire in Sudan conflict

Chad shuts border with Sudan

Chad had closed on Saturday its border crossings with Sudan, stretching for more than 1,000 kilometres across open desert, which are often crossed by rebel groups from both countries.

Thousands of people have fled the shooting and bombings in Khartoum since fighting erupted between the two generals who seized power in a 2021 coup: Al Burhan and his deputy, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, who commands the RSF.

It followed a bitter dispute between the two generals over the planned integration of the RSF into the regular army — a key condition for a final deal aimed at restoring Sudan's democratic transition.

READ MORE: RSF and Sudanese Army declare new truce