French troops begin withdrawal from Chad amid rising tensions
French troops began leaving Chad after the country decided to end its long-standing defence agreement with France.
On Friday, 120 French soldiers boarded a plane at N'Djamena airport, marking a key step in the withdrawal process.
The French military said in a statement, “At midday, 120 French soldiers took off from the military airport of N'Djamena on board an Airbus A330 Phoenix MRTT, headed for France.”
The departure was overseen by Chadian military officials. France still has about 1,000 troops in Chad, and the full withdrawal is expected to take several weeks.
Chad announced on November 28 that it would end the defence pact with France, which dates back to its independence in 1960.
This decision follows similar actions by other Sahel nations, including Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger, where French troops have also been asked to leave in recent years.
