France completes military withdrawal from Chad as ties shift
rfi.fr — December 11, 2024, 08:01 AM UTC
France has completed its military withdrawal from Chad, removing two combat jets and a tanker plane from N'Djamena. This marks the end of France's military presence in the Sahel region after recent troop withdrawals from Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger. Chad's government announced the termination of security agreements with France, which had been in place since 1960. This decision surprised French officials, but Chad's President Mahamat Idriss Déby clarified that it does not end diplomatic relations. Chad was the last country in the Sahel to host French forces, with around 1,000 troops stationed there. Déby has been pursuing closer ties with Russia, although no significant agreements have been reached yet.