Military: First French consignment to leave Niger arrives in Chad

The French military announced on Thursday that the first road convoy carrying troops leaving Niger after the country’s president was overthrown had arrived in neighbouring Chad.

After nine days on the road, the convoy “has arrived without any particular problems” in the Chadian capital N’Djamena, according to colonel Pierre Gaudilliere, spokesman for the French general command.

From there, the troops will fly back to France. According to Gaudilliere, the road trip had been planned in conjunction with nigerian soldiers.

Following the ouster in July of President Mohamed Bazoum, a crucial ally of Paris in the region, which upended French strategy for the Sahel, France began the withdrawal from Niger last week.

In order to return its equipment, the French army must travel more than 3,000 kilometres, largely overland, via Chad and Cameroon, some of which are known to be home to jihadist organisations.

To combat fighters affiliated with the Islamic State group and al-Qaida, about 1,400 soldiers were stationed in western and the capital city of Niamey. They brought with them fighter jets, drones, helicopters, armoured vehicles, and equipment to help them.

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The first convoy made it to Chad after traversing more than 1,600 kilometres by road in armoured cars with Nigerien escort.

France’s military command for the entire Sahel region is based in the capital of Chad, N’Djamena, where some 1,000 troops are stationed.

French troops have been expelled by an ex-colony in Africa three times in the past 18 months, which has done serious damage to France’s influence on the continent and reputation abroad.

Mahamat Idriss Deby, the president of Chad, was invited to the Elysee on Wednesday by French President Emmanuel Macron for talks.

The French presidency stated that they talked about “the return to France of our military assets” as well as regional issues.