France has handed over its first military base in Chad, marking the beginning of the withdrawal of its military forces from the country. This move comes after Chad ended its military cooperation with its former colonial power last month, and French troops began their departure in December.
As Paris was devising a new military strategy that would sharply reduce its permanent troop presence in Africa, two of its former colonies and closest allies struck a double blow.
The decisions by Senegal and Chad are part of the wider structural transformation in the region’s engagement with France, in which Paris political and military influence continues to diminish.
Handover of Faya-Largeau Base
Chad’s chief of military staff announced on Thursday that the base at Faya-Largeau in the north of the country had been handed over to Chadian control. The military will provide updates on the progress of the withdrawal of French forces from other bases in the eastern city of Abeche and the capital, N’Djamena. French troops left Faya-Largeau in vehicles heading for N’Djamena, 780 kilometers (480 miles) to the south. The French army had about 1,000 personnel in Chad.
“The handover took place in accordance with the calendar and the conditions agreed with Chad,” the French military chief of staff stated.
End of Military Cooperation
The withdrawal of French forces from Chad began ten days after French warplanes left the country. This move aligns with Chad’s preparations for parliamentary and local elections on Sunday. The departure marks the end of decades of French military presence in the Sahel region, where France has already pulled its soldiers out of Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger following military coups and rising anti-French sentiment.
A contingent of 120 soldiers left Chad on December 20, signifying the start of France’s troop withdrawal from one of its last former colonies with a maintained military presence. Although France still has about 1,000 troops stationed in Chad, the full drawdown is expected to take several weeks, despite local authorities expressing differing views on the timeline.
Chad has been a key link in France’s military presence in Africa and its last foothold in the wider Sahel region after the withdrawal of French troops from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. The military authorities in these countries have pivoted towards Russia in recent years.
Previously, Chad hosted approximately 2,000 French military personnel. In October 2023, some French troops arrived in Chad after being withdrawn from neighboring Nigér following their Government request.
This withdrawal echoes similar movements by France from Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where anti-French sentiment and military coups have significantly altered the political landscape.
The announcement came after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot visited Chad and was told that Chad’s military is strong enough to protect civilians and their property, according to government officials.
Chad, a landlocked country bordering the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, and Niger, has seen paramilitary forces from Russia’s Africa Corps take over operations from the Wagner mercenary group on the continent. Chad’s leader, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, has also sought closer ties with Moscow, but talks to strengthen economic cooperation have yet to yield concrete results.
French soldiers and fighter aircraft have been stationed in Chad almost continuously since the country’s independence in 1960. They have played a crucial role in training the Chadian military and providing air support to stop rebel movements. The election of Deby in May concluded a three-year political transition triggered by his father’s death in fighting with rebels in 2021. The longtime ruler Idriss Deby Itno had received support from the French army to quell rebel offensives in 2008 and 2019.
Recently, Chad has been gradually enhancing its military might by acquiring new equipment and modernizing legacy systems across all its service branches. Chad’s military has historically been known for its formidable fighting capabilities, using limited resources to achieve remarkable battlefield victories.
