Adre, February 09 (Darfur24)
A series of fires has struck Sudanese refugee camps in eastern Chad in recent days, causing extensive damage to homes and property and raising concerns about deteriorating humanitarian conditions.
Eyewitnesses told Darfur24 that a fire completely destroyed the market in Alasha camp. A separate fire broke out on Friday in Adre camp, burning more than five houses, followed by another incident in Miji camp that destroyed over ten homes. Residents stated that the absence of firefighting equipment and inadequate safety measures contributed to the rapid spread of the flames.
According to witnesses, dozens of families lost their homes and sources of livelihood as fires consumed shelters built from highly flammable materials, along with shops and essential goods relied upon for daily needs.
Camp residents appealed to humanitarian organizations and UN agencies to strengthen safety and protection measures and provide emergency shelter and assistance. They warned that more than 800,000 Sudanese refugees in eastern Chad are already facing severe shortages of food, health services, and humanitarian support.
Local actors cautioned that repeated fire incidents are compounding an already fragile humanitarian situation, amid limited aid and overstretched basic services.
Since the outbreak of war in Sudan, Chad has received more than 800,000 refugees fleeing violence in Darfur, Kordofan, and Khartoum. Camps in eastern Chad are experiencing overcrowding and shortages of essential services, while fires remain a recurring risk due to fragile infrastructure and the widespread use of flammable construction materials such as straw, wood, and plastic.