Chad orders French troops out by Jan. 31

Chad has given French forces until the end of January to withdraw from the country, sources in the French army and the Chadian government said, a move that could further complicate France’s military presence in the Sahel region.

Radio France Internationale (RFI) first reported the deadline, citing sources within the French military. A French military spokesperson told RFI the timeline was “almost impossible,” given the logistical challenges of moving 1,000 soldiers and their equipment within seven weeks.

Chad is pushing for a withdrawal before February, while France, after the cancellation of military cooperation agreements between the two countries, had requested an extension until March, which N’Djamena has rejected, according to the sources.

Earlier this month, Chad terminated defense cooperation agreements with France, citing the country’s “maturity” and efforts to strengthen its sovereignty.

The Chadian government emphasised that the decision would not affect friendly relations between the two nations.

Sources within the Chadian government said N’Djamena was angered by the French military’s failure to provide intelligence on Boko Haram movements that led to a deadly attack in October, killing 40 Chadian soldiers.

The French military also reportedly refused a request for assistance in pursuing Boko Haram militants.

France currently has around 1,000 troops stationed at three bases in Chad, including one in the capital, N’Djamena.

Last week, France began withdrawing fighter jets from its air base in N’Djamena.