Seven weeks to leave: Chad pushes France for swift military withdrawal

The Chadian government has issued a directive requiring all French troops to leave the country by January 31, 2025, following the termination of a military cooperation agreement with France.

According to sources close to the French government, Paris received the order with the stated deadline on December 19 evening, Caliber.Az reports via French media.

An earlier timeline proposed by France, extending until March, was dismissed as excessively prolonged.

“A seven-week period to withdraw a thousand soldiers and extensive equipment is impractical,” stated a French military source, describing the demand as a “pressure tactic by hardliners in Chad’s government.”

A Chadian official countered, expressing that N'Djamena’s preference is for the withdrawal to conclude before the end of February, aligning with the commencement of Ramadan.

Despite these tensions, both French and Chadian representatives describe the ongoing negotiations as constructive.

In late November, Chad’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced the termination of its defence agreement with France. While expressing gratitude for past cooperation, N'Djamena signalled readiness to explore new forms of partnership through dialogue.

Following Chad’s demand, French Mirage 2000D fighter jets departed the country last week, accompanied by a refuelling aircraft, marking the beginning of France's military drawdown.

Chad’s actions align with broader regional trends. Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger recently formed the Alliance of Sahel States, a military pact aimed at combating jihadist threats. These countries have also terminated defence agreements with France, expelling its military forces from their territories.

By Tamilla Hasanova