France began its military withdrawal from Chad Tuesday as two Mirage warplanes departed the capital N’Djamena for eastern France, following Chad’s unexpected termination of its defense cooperation agreement with Paris two weeks ago.
“It marks the beginning of the return of French equipment stationed in N’Djamena,” French Army spokesperson Colonel Guillaume Vernet confirmed, though terms for the complete withdrawal of approximately 1,000 remaining French troops await finalization between the two nations.
The departure represents France’s latest military exit from Africa, following similar withdrawals from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger after military coups and growing anti-French sentiment in those nations. The Chad withdrawal effectively ends decades of French military presence in the Sahel region and direct French operations against Islamist militants.
Chad’s November 28 decision to end the defense pact apparently caught Paris off guard, coming just as a French envoy delivered recommendations to President Emmanuel Macron about reducing military presence in Chad, Gabon, and Ivory Coast. The move by Chad, long a Western ally in counter-terrorism efforts, marks a significant shift in regional security dynamics.
REUTERS
