France officially began withdrawing its military forces from Chad on Tuesday following the country’s abrupt termination of a defense cooperation agreement with France on November 28.
The withdrawal commenced with the departure of two Mirage 2000-D fighter jets from the capital, N’Djamena, following a formal farewell ceremony attended by Chadian military officials. The jets departed for their home base in Nancy, eastern France.
Footage captures French fighter jets leaving Chad, after Chadian authorities cut military ties with Paris amid anti-French sentiment in the Sahel. Several countries in the region say French troops have failed to help them in the fight against armed groups pic.twitter.com/SGGhl1IaoQ
— TRT Afrika (@trtafrika) December 12, 2024
Chad, a key Western ally in the fight against extremist groups such as Boko Haram and affiliates of ISIS and al-Qaeda, had maintained a longstanding military relationship with France. The French military’s presence in Chad was part of Operation Barkhane, launched in 2014 to combat Islamist insurgencies across the Sahel region.
French military spokesperson Col. Guillaume Vernet confirmed the start of the withdrawal, stating that discussions between Paris and Chadian authorities are ongoing to determine the timeline and logistics for removing the remaining 1,000 French troops stationed in Chad.
Chadian Foreign Minister Koulamallah Abderaman reiterated that French ground forces will disengage gradually over the coming weeks. However, it remains unclear whether all French troops will leave the country or if some forces will remain under a revised agreement.
The withdrawal is part of a broader trend of diminishing French military influence in Africa, following similar exits from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. In each case, military coups, coupled with rising anti-French sentiment and criticism of France’s counterterrorism strategy, have prompted local governments to sever defense ties with Paris.
Public demonstrations against France have increased in Chad in recent weeks, with hundreds of protesters marching in N’Djamena last week, chanting “Chad for us, France out!” and holding banners rejecting the French military presence.
French forces pulling out from Chad, amidst the nationwide rejection of their presence.
This will be the 4th Sahelean state to reject French presence and demand their departure in the last 3 years. pic.twitter.com/WN1FVNI7U4
— Sahel Revolutionary Soldier (@cecild84) December 10, 2024
Analysts suggest that Chad’s interim president, Mahamat Deby Itno, who assumed power in 2021 after the death of his father, Idriss Deby, has been working to diversify the country’s international partnerships. Deby extended Chad’s transitional government last year by two years, sparking protests and further complicating relations with France.
Ulf Laessing, head of the Sahel program at the Konrad Adenauer Foundation, noted, “Deby has been seeking to diversify security partnerships away from exclusive deals. He doesn’t trust [French President Emmanuel] Macron and cannot ignore widespread anti-French sentiment.”
The withdrawal of French forces raises concerns about regional stability as Chad has been a central player in combating extremist threats in the Sahel. France’s departure also comes at a time when Russia is expanding its influence in the region. Neighboring countries such as Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger have turned to Russia and its private military contractor, Wagner Group, for security assistance following France’s exit.
Chad’s government has emphasized that the decision to end the defense pact does not signify a break in historical ties with France, and it intends to maintain cooperation in non-defense areas.
