FRENCH ARMY BEGINS ITS WITHDRAWAL FROM CHAD

Sat 21 December 2024:

France began withdrawing soldiers Friday from Chad, according to the Chadian Defense Ministry, after N’Djamena abruptly ended military cooperation with the former colonial power last month.

“The General Staff of the Armed Forces informs National and International Opinion that after the withdrawal of French fighter planes from Chad, the beginning of troop withdrawal has just begun today,” it said the statement. “This sequential withdrawal of Combat Units will be carried out in conjunction with the transport of logistics.”

Chad gave Paris six weeks to remove 1,000 soldiers and their equipment by Jan. 31.

The Chadian Foreign Ministry announced Nov. 28 the end of military cooperation with France. France withdrew fighter jets from Chad after a disagreement last month.

French soldiers and fighter aircraft have been stationed in Chad almost continuously since the country’s independence in 1960, helping to train the Chadian military.

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Chad was the last country to host French military units in Africa’s Sahel region after Paris withdrew units from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger.

France’s relations with Mali and Burkina Faso deteriorated after military administrations took power in those countries in 2020 and 2022. Residents in Mali and Burkina Faso, two former French colonies, protested French presence in their countries.

France’s colonial history in Africa’s Sahel region dates back to the 19th century during the “Scramble for Africa.” France sought to expand its empire for economic, political, and cultural influence.

Through military conquests and treaties, it established control over vast territories, including present-day Senegal, Mali, Niger, Burkina Faso, and Chad. These areas became part of French West Africa, a federation administered by France.

The colonial system exploited local resources, imposed taxes, and disrupted traditional governance. The French promoted assimilation policies, attempting to instill French culture and language while maintaining a strict racial hierarchy. Resistance to colonization was common, with notable figures like Samori Touré leading anti-colonial struggles.

Post-World War II, African nationalist movements gained momentum, and France faced increasing pressure to decolonize. By the 1960s, most Sahelian nations achieved independence.

However, France maintained economic, political, and military ties, a system critics call “Françafrique,” influencing the region’s post-colonial trajectory. Today, the legacy of colonialism persists in economic dependency and political instability in the Sahel.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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