Military Space News
AFRICA NEWS
France hands over second army base in Chad amid withdrawal
France hands over second army base in Chad amid withdrawal
by AFP Staff Writers
Abeche, Chad (AFP) Jan 11, 2025

France on Saturday handed over its second army base in Chad as part of an agreement with the country's authorities to withdraw its military forces.

The central African country in late November abruptly ended military cooperation with its former colonial ruler, and French troops began leaving the country in late December.

"Today... marks the handover of the Abeche base," Defence Minister Issaka Malloua Djamouss said during an official ceremony.

He called it a key step "leading to the final and total withdrawal of this army in our country".

Around 100 troops left the Abeche base on Saturday, after equipment convoys departed Friday evening.

The French army had around 1,000 personnel in Chad.

Djamouss added that the January 31 deadline for France to remove forces for good was "imperative", "irreversible" and "non-negotiable".

French soldiers and fighter aircraft have been stationed in Chad almost continuously since the country's independence in 1960, helping to train the Chadian military.

The planes also provided air support that proved crucial on several occasions in stopping rebels moving to seize power.

Mid-December, the jets were the first to go, followed by a contingent of 120 soldiers and the handover of the Faya base in northern Chad.

- 'Friendship remains' -

"Partnerships evolve but the friendship remains between our two nations, as does the solidarity between two sovereign nations that will continue to move forward side by side as they always have," French embassy representative Fabien Talon said at the event.

The central African country, one of the poorest in the world, was the last Sahel nation to host French troops.

Paris at one point had deployed more than 5,000 soldiers as part of its anti-jihadist Barkhane operation.

Chad had been a key link in France's military presence in Africa and its last foothold in the wider Sahel region after the forced withdrawal of French troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger in the wake of military coups.

The military authorities in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have pivoted towards Russia in recent years.

Chad's leader General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno has also sought closer ties with Moscow in recent months, but talks to strengthen economic cooperation have yet to bear concrete results.

Deby described the agreement as "completely obsolete" and no longer aligned with the "political and geostrategic realities of our time".

His election in May brought an end to a three-year political transition triggered by his father's death in clashes with rebels in 2021.

Longtime ruler Idriss Deby Itno had received support from the French army to quell rebel offensives in 2008 and 2019.

Related Links
Africa News - Resources, Health, Food

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
AFRICA NEWS
Russia eyes Libya to replace Syria as Africa launchpad
Paris (AFP) Jan 11, 2025
The fall of Russian ally Bashar al-Assad in Syria has disrupted the Kremlin's strategy not only for the Mediterranean but also for Africa, pushing it to focus on Libya as a potential foothold, experts say. Russia runs a military port and an air base on the Syrian coast, designed to facilitate its operations in the Mediterranean, the Middle East, and sub-Saharan Africa, especially the Sahel, Sudan, and the Central African Republic. However, this model is in jeopardy with the abrupt departure of t ... read more

AFRICA NEWS
Raytheon awarded $946M contract to deliver additional Patriot Defense Systems

Philippines rejects China's criticism of US missile plan

Lockheed Martin demonstrates missile defense capability for Guam in key test

PAC-3 demonstrates advanced integration in successful defense test

AFRICA NEWS
North Korea fires short-range ballistic missiles into sea

CENTCOM conducts first attack targeting Houthi rebels of 2025

Israel military says missile from Yemen intercepted

Russia says Ukraine fired US-made missiles at Belgorod region

AFRICA NEWS
Drone deliveries inside prisons risk UK's national security: watchdog

German police probe drone sightings over military sites

Britain-led coalition to send Ukraine 30K drones

Myanmar military adopts anti-junta fighters' drone tactics

AFRICA NEWS
Controversy in Italy over potential deal with Musk's SpaceX

Quadsat and NATO NCIA validate Quadsat system for WGS compliance testing

ESA to support development of secure EU communications satellite constellation

IRIS2 contract signed to strengthen Europe's space connectivity and security

AFRICA NEWS
US. unveils $500M in military aid at final Ukraine defense summit before Trump takes office

US announces $5.9 bn in military, budget aid for Ukraine

Software-driven smart munitions reshape tactical drone operations

UK and Australia to supply military equipment to Kyiv

AFRICA NEWS
China saw record trade with Russia in 2024: customs data

Germany opposes Trump call to raise NATO defence spending to 5% of GDP

New chairman takes over Dassault billionaire family holding

US adds Tencent, CATL to list of 'Chinese military companies'

AFRICA NEWS
Indian PM opens strategic tunnel to China border zones

Outgoing US ambassador to Japan takes parting shot at China

American leadership on Ukraine 'critical': US defence chief

Xi vows to promote 'world peace' in New Year's message to Putin: state media

AFRICA NEWS
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.