France started withdrawing troops from Chad on Friday, following N’Djamena’s decision to terminate military cooperation with its former colonial ruler last month.
A contingent of 120 soldiers departed from a military airport in N’Djamena aboard an Airbus A330 Phoenix MRTT, the French defence ministry confirmed. This comes 10 days after French fighter jets exited the Sahel country for good.
Chad had served as France’s last stronghold in the Sahel after troop withdrawals from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger due to military coups. However, on November 28, 2024 Chad abruptly ended its defence accord with Paris, calling it “completely obsolete.”
While Chad’s leader, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, has explored closer ties with Russia, he stated the move does not signify a rejection of international cooperation or diplomatic relations with France.
France, which had stationed around 1,000 personnel in Chad, is now repatriating military equipment and vehicles via Cameroon’s Douala port.
The decision marks another shift in the Sahel region, where countries like Mali and Burkina Faso have increasingly aligned with Russia, challenging France’s historic influence in Africa.
