France Deploys Mirage Fighter Jets from Chad, Signaling Start of Military Withdrawal

France initiates its military withdrawal from Chad, marked by the deployment of two Mirage fighter jets, in a shift of its regional defense strategy.

On Tuesday, France withdrew the two Mirage fighter jets it had deployed in Chad, marking the start of its military forces’ withdrawal from this Central African nation. This move follows Chad’s decision last month to terminate its defense cooperation agreement with Paris.

According to French military spokesman Col. Guillaume Vernet, two Mirage 2000-D fighters departed after midday from a base in the capital city of N’Djamena, Chad. Chadian military forces bid them farewell as they began their journey back to a French air force base located in Nancy, eastern France.

He mentioned that discussions with Chadian authorities were ongoing regarding the timing and conditions for France’s withdrawal of its 1,000-strong force in Chad. It remains to be decided whether all or just a portion of them will depart.

When the Chadian government announced last month that it was ending its defense cooperation agreement with France, they characterized the decision as a historic milestone for their country, which gained independence in 1960. This move, according to them, will allow Chad to reshape its strategic partnerships in accordance with national priorities.

Chad was among the final countries in the region where France continued to have a substantial military presence. In recent years, France had been forced out of Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso after collaborating for years with regional forces against Islamic extremists. These nations have gradually aligned more closely with Russia, which has mercenaries stationed throughout the Sahel—a large area south of the Sahara Desert.

France has kept approximately 1,000 troops stationed in Chad. While Chadian authorities have not specified a departure date for these forces, they emphasized that ending the defense agreement does not undermine the historical ties between the two nations. They expressed a desire to continue collaborating on other shared interests.

Hundreds of people gathered in N’Djamena to protest last week, demanding the removal of French troops and chanting slogans such as “Chad for us, France out!” Many participants carried banners with messages like, “We do not want to see a single French person in Chad.”