Nineteen killed in ethnic violence in eastern Chad

At least 19 people have been killed in a new bout of ethnic violence in eastern Chad, bringing the death toll since Thursday to more than 31, local officials said.

Fighting erupted on Sunday in two villages called Amchaloka et Amsabarna in Sila province and continued on Monday, they said.

Separately, a hospital worker put the toll at 21 dead and 29 wounded.

Twelve people were killed on Thursday in the neighbouring province of Ouaddai when a village was attacked by armed men, provincial public prosecutor Hassan Djamouss Hachimi said.

"We arrested 30 people," he said.

Eastern Chad is grappling with tit-for-tat violence between native Ouaddian farmers and Arab herders, an issue raised during a visit to the region in February by President Idriss Deby Itno.

KEEP UPDATED on the latest news by subscribing to our FREE newsletter.

- FOLLOW News24 on Twitter