Hundreds of Chadians Protest, Demand France’s Departure

Massive protests erupt in Chad as demonstrators call for France’s withdrawal, reflecting growing anti-French sentiment in the region. Explore the reasons behind the unrest.

On Friday, hundreds of protesters gathered in Chad to call for the removal of French troops from their country. This demonstration occurred a week after Chad terminated its military agreement with France, its former colonizer.

In N’Djamena, the capital, demonstrators shouted slogans like “Chad for us, France out,” with some holding banners stating “We don’t want to see a single Frenchman in Chad.”

Last week, Chad declared in a statement that it would be terminating its defense cooperation agreement with France to realign its strategic partnerships according to national priorities. While approximately 1,000 French troops are stationed in Chad, the announcement did not indicate when their withdrawal would occur.

On Friday, some protesters marched to a military airbase housing French soldiers and demanded their withdrawal. Meanwhile, others assembled in front of the French embassy, encountering a strong security presence from the Chadian army safeguarding the premises.

“We no longer desire a French presence in Chad,” stated former Minister of Public Health, Dr. Hissein Massar. He further remarked, “This protest will conclude when the French depart from Chad.”

Chad was among the final countries in the region where France retained a notable military presence, following their expulsion from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso in recent years after prolonged efforts combating Islamic extremists alongside regional forces. These nations have developed closer ties with Russia, which has sent mercenaries to operate within the Sahel—the broad stretch of land below the Sahara Desert.

Chad’s interim president, Mahamat Deby Itno, assumed leadership following the death of his father in 2021. His father had governed Chad for over thirty years before being killed while combating rebels. In the previous year, the government declared a two-year extension to the initially planned 18-month transition period, which sparked protests across the country.

Chad stated that the decision to terminate the agreement does not undermine its historical ties with France and expressed a desire to continue relations in other areas of mutual interest.