France hands over first base in Chad during withdrawal from former colony
Al JazeeraDec 25, 2024
France Hands Over First Military Base to Chad Amid Withdrawal
story
Above: A general view of the base of the French Barkhane force detachment Faya-Largeau, in northern Chad, on June 2, 2022. Image copyright: Chesnot/Contributor/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
France has handed over the military base at Faya-Largeau in northern Chad, its first as part of the withdrawal of its forces from their last holdout in the wider Sahel region, with authorities in Chad in full control of the airfield on Friday.
The 30 French troops stationed there left in vehicles for the capital N'Djamena, with tons of equipment to be returned to France in the coming days. Next, the 100 French military personnel stationed in the eastern city of Abéché and those at Camp Kossei in N'Djamena are due to leave.
The Spin
Establishment-critical narrative
France and other Western countries have failed the Sahel. Their inept response to terrorism has led them to turn to Russia as a more reliable security partner that is actually capable of restoring peace to a region rife with conflict. This move represents a new era for Chad, as it can now chart its own course free from the interference of its former colonial masters.
Pro-establishment narrative
Russia has exploited the tense political situation in the Sahel as a means of extracting resources from West and Central Africa as France is pushed aside. Russian forces and mercenaries have shown themselves to be unscrupulous enough to provide military support to juntas and dictators in exchange for wealth, and have been credibly accused of atrocities. Russian influence in Africa is destabilizing and worrisome.
