Islamist Recruitment and Cross-Border Trafficking in Al-Tina, at the Sudan–Chad Border

Minni Arko Minnawi in a red tie and Sudanese Finance Minister Dr. Jibril Ibrahim Mohammed, center.

By: Charilogone Editorial Team

Al-Tina, located in northern Darfur at the border between Sudan and Chad, has become a hotspot for alarming military and Islamist activities, according to local sources and international reports. The Joint Forces, led by Darfur Governor Minni Arko Minnawi and Sudanese Finance Minister Dr. Jibril Ibrahim Mohammed, are accused of facilitating the recruitment of radical Islamist groups. These operations are reportedly funded by Iranian security entities and involve foreign fighters from Libya, Nigeria, Syria, and Iraq. Coordination is said to be managed by Minnawi and Jibril Ibrahim’s movements, with support from local tribal leaders.

Suspicious military movements have been observed in the region, including the establishment of training camps by the Joint Forces and the Sudanese Army. These camps operate outside the control of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), enabling covert activities. Al-Tina is also identified as a major transit point for human, arms, and drug trafficking between Libya, Chad, and Sudan. Armed groups, including factions affiliated with the Islamic State (ISIS), Boko Haram, and militias from Mali, Libya, and other Arab countries, are reportedly involved in these operations.

The Justice and Equality Movement (JEM), led by Dr. Jibril Ibrahim, is believed to have ties to Boko Haram and extremist groups in Libya. Some sources claim that Dr. Jibril met with Boko Haram leaders in Nigeria earlier this year, during the initial phase of the Sudanese conflict. Additionally, according to the Ayin Network and European sources, mobilization campaigns have been conducted in Chad’s border regions, including Al-Tina, Karnoi, and Abu Gamra, where thousands of fighters were recruited to defend their villages against RSF-aligned militias.

This situation unfolds within a broader humanitarian crisis in Darfur. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced from areas such as Tina, Mellit, Tawila, and Dar El Salam, fleeing violence. UN experts have also warned of rising trafficking of women and children for sexual exploitation and forced recruitment in areas controlled by armed groups.

The developments in Al-Tina highlight a troubling dynamic at the Sudan–Chad border, where radicalization, cross-border trafficking, and regional politico-military alliances converge. This raises serious concerns about the stability of Darfur and the broader security implications for neighboring countries.