Chad: Population Displacement From CAR
Created: 04/04/2016 +


Civilians have borne the brunt of violence in CAR, prompting large-scale internal and cross-border displacement. Most of CAR’s Muslim population has fled to the eastern part of the country or sought refuge in neighbouring countries. Intercommunal conflict has been ongoing in CAR since December 2013, originating in a cycle of reprisals between the predominantly Muslim and Chad-backed Seleka, and mainly Christian self-defence groups, known as anti-balaka.

From December 2013 to February 2014 the Chadian Government evacuated its citizens from CAR, mainly to camps along the border and to the capital N’Djamena.

Chad officially closed its border with CAR in May 2014, but displaced people have continued to cross into the country.

As of 8 September, there are 113,343 evacuees (including third-country nationals and migrants), and 94,512 CAR refugees, 19,471 of whom have arrived since December 2013.

The newly arrived are mainly Muslim and hosted in predominantly Christian areas in Chad. Before the crisis, CAR refugees in Chad were mostly of non-Muslim background.

The categorisation of displaced people arriving from CAR is a major challenge: most arrive without legal documents.

Chad is host to 461,000 refugees in total. The country faces chronic food insecurity, natural hazards and regular outbreaks of diseases.