Darfur authorities reopen Tina border crossing with Chad for aid deliveries

Overview

Updated Sep 29

Darfur's regional government formally reopened the Tina border crossing with Chad on September 25, 2026, restarting the fastest aid route into North Darfur. Sixty trucks carried food and medical supplies across in the week around the announcement.

The route matters because most hospitals in Darfur have stopped operating and food insecurity has worsened. More than 3,400 displaced people reached Tawila, a town served by the Tina route, in the first three weeks of September. The crossing cuts relief transit from Chad's Farchana to Tawila to about one day, versus four via the southern Adre crossing.

Why it matters

If Tina stays open, famine-threatened Darfur towns get relief in days; if it closes, millions lose their fastest lifeline.

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Key Indicators

Aid trucks crossed through Tina around reopening

Reported by regional aid coordinator Abdulbaqi Mohamed Hamed in the week of September 25.

WFP trucks crossed through Tina on August 10

Completed without disruption, per the regional aid coordination office.

Aid trucks entered via Al-Dabbah in the same week

Entered through the northern Sudanese town of Al-Dabbah bound for eastern, southern and central Darfur, per the regional aid coordination office.

3,400+

Displaced people reached Tawila since September 1

Reported by the General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur; the town is served by the Tina route.

1 day

Transit time via Tina from Farchana to Tawila

About a day or less, compared with roughly four days via Adre.

4 days

Transit time via the Adre crossing further south

The slower alternative route, which also faces seasonal flooding.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

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People Involved

Abdulbaqi Mohamed Hamed

Regional humanitarian aid coordinator and director of social welfare, Darfur Regional Government

Leading aid coordination across Darfur's five states

Al-Hafiz Bakheet Mohamed

Governor of North Darfur

Coordinating aid access with the Darfur regional government

Organizations Involved

Darfur Regional Government

Regional government

Managing aid coordination and border crossing operations

The regional governing body for Darfur coordinating cross-border humanitarian operations.

World Food Programme (WFP)

United Nations agency

Operating cross-border food convoys into Darfur

The UN's food-assistance agency running cross-border relief convoys into Darfur.

Chadian government

National government

Controls border crossings from Chad's side

The national government whose border control decisions determine access from Chad into Sudan.

Timeline

February 2026 September 2026

9 events Latest: September 29th, 2026 · 1 week ago

Tap a bar to jump to that date

September 2026
Chad reopens Adre crossing after one-day closure
Latest Government

Chad restored passenger, commercial and humanitarian traffic at Adre, the slower alternative to Tina, after a one-day closure tied to the detention of two Chadian nationals by the Rapid Support Forces.
September 29th, 2026
Darfur authorities formally reopen Tina crossing
Government

Regional government announced full reopening of the border post and its aid coordination office in Tina.
September 25th, 2026
Over 3,400 displaced reach Tawila
Humanitarian

Displaced families arrived in Tawila, served by the Tina route, facing shortages of food, medicine, water and shelter. The General Coordination of Displaced Persons and Refugees in Darfur reported 3,407 arrivals from 634 families since September 1.
September 22nd, 2026
UN refugee agency shelter shipment crosses Tina
Humanitarian

Shelter cargo entered North Darfur through the crossing without disruption.
September 5th, 2026
August 2026
WFP aid convoy crosses Tina without disruption
Humanitarian

25 World Food Programme trucks passed through the crossing, per regional officials.
August 10th, 2026
March 2026
Humanitarian activities partially resume at Tina
Humanitarian

Crossing reopened on a limited basis for aid after a week-long suspension, per OCHA.
March 2nd, 2026
February 2026
Chad closes all Sudan border crossings
Government

Chadian authorities shut all crossings including Tina, citing repeated armed group incursions.
February 23rd, 2026
RSF briefly captures Tina, loses it same day
Military

Rapid Support Forces captured the town but lost control the same day in heavy clashes.
February 22nd, 2026
Sudanese army repels RSF attack on Tina
Military

Sudanese Armed Forces and allied joint forces repelled a large Rapid Support Forces attack on the town.
February 21st, 2026

Scenarios

Tina crossing becomes Darfur's main aid corridor

Likely Resolves by Mar 25, 2027

Discussed by: Regional aid officials including Abdulbaqi Mohamed Hamed, who argue Tina is the closest and fastest route to displaced populations in North Darfur.

The reopening holds through the October rainy season. WFP and UN agencies scale up convoys, donors shift from Adre to Tina, and the crossing becomes the primary relief gateway into Darfur. Transit costs drop and delivery times shrink as the route matures.

Renewed fighting shuts the Tina crossing again

Possible Resolves by Mar 25, 2027

Discussed by: Historical precedent: Chad closed the border in February 2026 after clashes in Tina, and the town has changed hands repeatedly during the civil war.

RSF forces attack Tina again, or Chadian security concerns prompt another closure. Aid convoys halt, supplies strand at the border, and humanitarian agencies must reroute through Adre or Port Sudan. The region's food situation deteriorates further while the crossing sits closed.

Bureaucratic barriers strangle aid flow despite open crossing

Possible Resolves by End of 2026

Discussed by: Humanitarian organizations have previously reported bureaucratic and administrative impediments at Tina, per the Digital Logistics Capacity Assessments.

The crossing stays formally open, but permit requirements, documentation delays, and fees keep trucks waiting at the border for days. Aid agencies report that the route is technically available but practically unusable at scale, limiting actual deliveries to a trickle.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

February 2026

Chad closes Sudan borders (February 2026)

Chad shut all border crossings with Sudan on February 23, 2026, including Tina, citing repeated incursions by armed groups and the risk of the civil war spreading into Chadian territory. Information Minister Mohammed Qassim Sharif said the decision aimed to protect citizens and refugee populations.

Then

The closure was partially eased in early March for humanitarian purposes, but restricted movement through the crossing for months afterward.

Now

This week's reopening reverses that restriction for Tina, restoring the fastest aid route into North Darfur.

Why this matters now

The same crossing being reopened today was shut by this decision, making the February closure the direct origin of the current aid access crisis.

March 2024

Tina authorized for humanitarian use (March 2024)

The Government of Sudan authorized the Tina border crossing for humanitarian cargo movements, making it an officially sanctioned aid route into Darfur. It had previously warned aid groups against using unauthorized crossings.

Then

The crossing was increasingly used as a humanitarian corridor but access was limited by conflict, insecurity, and significant physical constraints during the rainy season from May to October.

Now

Formal authorization never guaranteed access. The crossing's utility has repeatedly depended on security conditions and political decisions by both governments.

Why this matters now

Authorization alone has not been enough to keep aid flowing; the pattern of opening and closing continues today.