Ethnic War for Water Begins

While many predict that the Third World War will be fought over water, a major war for water is currently underway in the African nation of Chad, making this prediction a reality. With an unprecedented increase in water scarcity, the country has turned into a jungle of violence. Lake Chad, once one of Africa's largest lakes, has now dried up. That is, the lake, which covered an area of 25,000 sq km in the 1960s, is now less than 1,500 sq km. This situation has arisen due to increased water extraction from rivers feeding the lake and reduced rainfall. As a result, various ethnic groups there are attacking each other over existing water resources. On April 3, an argument began between two ethnic groups over the use of water in a water body in Wadi Fira province. The Chad government's statement on this matter, reporting that 42 people have been killed in the conflict so far, has caused shock. To control the conflict, a state of emergency was declared in the area and troops were deployed. However, as the conflict has spread to various regions, the army is struggling to contain it.