French fighter jets withdraw from Chad: a symbolic step

The departure of the Mirage 2000D marks a new era

Two Mirage 2000D fighter jets, accompanied by a tanker plane, left the Kossei air base in N’Djamena on Tuesday. A third aircraft was also scheduled to take off during the day. This withdrawal is part of the gradual closure of the French air detachment in Chad, a direct consequence of the termination of the defense agreement between the two nations on November 28.

A decision linked to the end of bilateral agreements

According to a French source, “the presence of this detachment is no longer justified after the breakdown of the defense agreement.” The closure of the Kossei air base marks the end of a strategic presence of the Mirage 2000D in Chad, an aircraft model recognized for its ability to operate in all weather conditions and considered a mainstay of ground attacks.

Chad, the last link in the French strategy in the Sahel

Long considered a centerpiece of French military architecture in Africa, Chad represented Paris’s last bastion in the Sahel, after the withdrawal of French troops from Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger. The withdrawal of the Mirages coincides with Chad’s announcement, on the day of its independence celebration, of the end of security and defense agreements with France.

Conclusion: a military presence in redefinition

The withdrawal of the Mirage 2000D from Chad symbolises the end of an era for the French military in the Sahel. As Paris rethinks its military strategy in Africa, the departure highlights growing tensions between France and its African partners, while marking a new phase in bilateral relations between Chad and France.