Chad Requests France Withdraw Its Troops by the End of January

The Chadian government has requested that French troops stationed in the country withdraw before the end of January, a demand French officials consider “unrealistic” due to logistical challenges in relocating 1,000 soldiers in just seven weeks.

Both Chadian and French sources have confirmed that Chad set a deadline for the withdrawal to be completed by January 31, 2025, following France’s removal of fighter jets from the capital, N’Djamena, two weeks earlier.

On November 28, Chad announced the termination of its military cooperation agreement with France, citing a desire to assert its sovereignty while maintaining good relations with France to serve mutual interests.

Despite France’s acceptance of the agreement’s termination and ongoing negotiations with Chad over the withdrawal, disagreements have arisen over the timeframe.

A French military source told Radio France Internationale that the seven-week deadline is unfeasible. “It’s almost impossible to relocate 1,000 troops along with their equipment in such a short time,” the source explained.

France initially proposed a deadline of March 2025, but Chad insists on completing the withdrawal by February, just before Ramadan begins.

French officials point to significant logistical obstacles, including the dispersal of troops across several bases, some requiring over 10 days of travel by road to reach N’Djamena.

France currently deploys over 1,000 soldiers across three military bases in Chad, including one in N’Djamena, which is among the largest French bases in Africa.

While France has already withdrawn its Mirage 2000 fighter jets from the capital, the next phase involves evacuating bases in Faya-Largeau and Abéché. However, French officials stress the need for an “organized and secure” withdrawal to ensure a smooth process.