France gave Chad back one of its military bases. It was the first step in pulling all of the French troops out of the African country. The base was at a place called Faya-Largeau way up in the north. Chad's head military guy said they got the base back. He also mentioned that the army would let everyone know how things go with the French leaving their other bases too. Those are in a city called Abeche in the east and Chad's capital, N'Djamena.
The Chadian military reported that the French troops drove off in their vehicles. They were headed to N'Djamena, about 480 miles away from the base they had just left. There used to be around 1,000 French soldiers in Chad.
The French military said everything was going according to plan. They had worked out a schedule with Chad and stuck to it.
Chad decided to stop working with the French military last month. That was a big deal because France used to be in charge of Chad a long time ago. The French troops started packing up and heading out last Friday. Just 10 days before that, French warplanes had already flown away.
It's all happening right before Chad's important elections on Sunday. They're picking people for parliament and local government.
The Chadian military said a big cargo plane took off on Thursday. It had 70 tons of stuff on board that the French were taking with them. The French said their military vehicles would be out of there by January. They're sending them home on a ship from a port in Cameroon.
Chad was really important for France's military plans in Africa. It was the last place they had troops in the Sahel. That's because the French had to leave Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger after some of their governments got overthrown by the military.
Those new military leaders in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger started getting friendly with Russia instead of France.
Countries like the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, and Niger surround Chad. They've all got Russian mercenaries running around. Those guys used to be called the Wagner group, but now they go by Africa Corps.
Chad's top general, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, has also been trying to buddy up with Russia lately. They've talked about working together on money stuff, but nothing big has happened yet.
French soldiers and fighter jets have been in Chad since the country broke away from France in 1960. They help train Chad's military.
Those French planes have saved the day for Chad's leaders many times. Whenever rebels tried to take over, the French would swoop in and stop them.
When Deby got elected in May, it ended a political switchover that had been going on for three years. It all started when his dad died fighting rebels back in 2021.
Deby's dad, Idriss Deby Itno, was in charge of Chad for a really long time. The French army had his back when rebels came after him in 2008 and 2019.
The Chadian military reported that the French troops drove off in their vehicles. They were headed to N'Djamena, about 480 miles away from the base they had just left. There used to be around 1,000 French soldiers in Chad.
The French military said everything was going according to plan. They had worked out a schedule with Chad and stuck to it.
Chad decided to stop working with the French military last month. That was a big deal because France used to be in charge of Chad a long time ago. The French troops started packing up and heading out last Friday. Just 10 days before that, French warplanes had already flown away.
It's all happening right before Chad's important elections on Sunday. They're picking people for parliament and local government.
The Chadian military said a big cargo plane took off on Thursday. It had 70 tons of stuff on board that the French were taking with them. The French said their military vehicles would be out of there by January. They're sending them home on a ship from a port in Cameroon.
Chad was really important for France's military plans in Africa. It was the last place they had troops in the Sahel. That's because the French had to leave Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger after some of their governments got overthrown by the military.
Those new military leaders in Mali, Burkina Faso, and Niger started getting friendly with Russia instead of France.
Countries like the Central African Republic, Sudan, Libya, and Niger surround Chad. They've all got Russian mercenaries running around. Those guys used to be called the Wagner group, but now they go by Africa Corps.
Chad's top general, Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno, has also been trying to buddy up with Russia lately. They've talked about working together on money stuff, but nothing big has happened yet.
French soldiers and fighter jets have been in Chad since the country broke away from France in 1960. They help train Chad's military.
Those French planes have saved the day for Chad's leaders many times. Whenever rebels tried to take over, the French would swoop in and stop them.
When Deby got elected in May, it ended a political switchover that had been going on for three years. It all started when his dad died fighting rebels back in 2021.
Deby's dad, Idriss Deby Itno, was in charge of Chad for a really long time. The French army had his back when rebels came after him in 2008 and 2019.
