Hundreds of protesters gathered in Chad’s capital, N’Djamena, on Friday, calling for the immediate departure of French military forces from the country. The demonstration follows Chad’s decision to terminate a defense agreement with France last week.
Chanting slogans such as “Chad for us, France out,” demonstrators held banners expressing opposition to the French presence. Some protesters marched to a military airbase housing French troops, demanding their withdrawal, while others rallied outside the French embassy under tight security provided by the Chadian army.
Former Minister of Public Health Dr. Hissein Massar voiced the protesters’ sentiments, stating, “We no longer want the French presence in Chad. This protest will end when the French leave.”
France has maintained approximately 1,000 troops in Chad, one of the last strongholds of its military presence in the region after being ousted from Niger, Mali, and Burkina Faso. These countries have increasingly aligned themselves with Russia, which has deployed mercenaries in the Sahel region.
Chad’s interim president, Mahamat Deby Itno, assumed power in 2021 following the death of his father, who had ruled for over 30 years. While Chad maintains that ending the military agreement does not sever historical ties with France, the country has expressed a desire to redefine strategic partnerships based on national priorities.
