By Enyichukwu Enemanna
In fulfilment of an agreement with Chadian authorities to leave the Central African country, the French military on Saturday handed over its second base in the junta-led nation.
Chad had in November announced the termination of military cooperation with its former colonial ruler, with French troops beginning their withdrawal in late December.
“Today… marks the handover of the Abeche base,” Chadian Defence Minister Issaka Malloua Djamouss said during an official ceremony.
He described it as a key step “leading to the final and total withdrawal of this army from our country.”
Nearly 100 soldiers left the Abeche base on Saturday, following equipment convoys that departed on Friday evening. The French army previously had around 1,000 troops stationed in Chad.
The January 31 deadline for France to remove its forces entirely was described as “imperative,” “irreversible,” and “non-negotiable” by the Defence Minister.
Since Chad gained independence from France in 1960, French soldiers and fighter aircraft have been stationed in the country almost permanently. The aircraft provided crucial air support on several occasions to prevent rebel groups from seizing power.
In mid-December, French fighter jets were the first to leave Chad, followed by a contingent of 120 soldiers and the handover of the Faya base in northern Chad.
At one point, Paris had deployed over 5,000 soldiers in the region 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, following 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 shifted their alliances towards Russia in recent years.
Chad’s leader, General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, has also sought closer ties with Moscow in recent months. However, talks to strengthen economic cooperation have yet to produce concrete results.
