France Initiates Military Withdrawal from Chad: Official Announcement

Paris, December 10 (NationPress) France has officially started the process of withdrawing its military forces from Chad, with the first step being the departure of fighter jets from the base located in N'Djamena, as reported by the French Ministry of Armed Forces on Tuesday.

The announcement follows the conclusion of a security and defense cooperation agreement between Chad and France. The French Ministry indicated that the details regarding the withdrawal of other military assets are currently being coordinated with Chadian officials.

Chad's Foreign Minister, Abderaman Koulamallah, stated on November 28 that the decision to terminate the defense agreement with France was reached after a thorough evaluation, marking a significant historical change.

Despite this development, Koulamallah emphasized that Chad aims to preserve constructive relations with France in various areas of mutual interest, as reported by Xinhua news agency.

Prior to the withdrawal, France had stationed approximately 1,000 soldiers in Chad, according to French sources.

Moreover, several other nations, including Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Senegal, have also requested the withdrawal of French troops from their territories.

On November 29, Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye remarked that the existence of French military bases in Senegal is incompatible with the sovereignty upheld by his government, urging France to dismantle these bases.