France has begun the process of withdrawing its military forces from Chad, with the departure of two Mirage fighter jets from the capital, N’Djamena, the French military announced.
This move follows Chad’s decision, announced two weeks ago, to end its defense cooperation agreement with France.
On November 28, Chad surprised many by terminating the longstanding defense pact, which had allowed French troops to operate in the country as part of efforts to combat Islamist militant groups in the Sahel region.
While the specifics of the withdrawal, including whether any French troops will remain in Chad, have yet to be finalized, the French military confirmed that the first two Mirage jets had returned to their home base in eastern France.
Army spokesperson Colonel Guillaume Vernet stated that the departure of these jets represents the initial phase of withdrawing French military equipment stationed in N’Djamena.
