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The United States military announced it will temporarily withdraw most of its approximately 100 troops stationed in Chad.
The Pentagon made the move days after announcing the withdrawal of troops from Niger.
United States Military Begins To Pull Troops From Niger, Another Foreign Policy Embarrassment?
According to the Associated Press, the Pentagon is attempting to "restore key agreements governing what role there might be there for the American military and its counterterrorism operations."
NEW - US troops to leave Chad in second African state withdrawalhttps://t.co/x5pwVNWzhP
— Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) April 26, 2024
From the Associated Press:
Both African countries have been integral to the U.S. military’s efforts to counter violent extremist organizations across the Sahel region, but Niger’s ruling junta ended an agreement last month that allows U.S. troops to operate in the West African country. In recent days, neighboring Chad also has questioned whether an existing agreement covered the U.S. troops operating there.
The U.S. will relocate most of the approximately 100 forces it has deployed in Chad for now, Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday at a press briefing.
“As talks continue with Chadian officials, U.S. AFRICOM is currently planning to reposition some U.S. military forces from Chad, some portions of which were already scheduled to depart. This is a temporary step as part of the ongoing review of our security cooperation, which will resume after Chad’s May 6th presidential election,” Ryder said.
In Niger, the majority of the 1,000 U.S. personnel assigned there also are expected to depart, Ryder said.
Another African state moves to kick out US military – media
Chad has reportedly asked American troops to stop activities at an air base near the capital of N’Djamenahttps://t.co/cMfaT4V71a pic.twitter.com/XHSqiPbCdS
— RT (@RT_com) April 22, 2024
"Earlier this month Chad's air force chief ordered the U.S. to halt activities at an air base near the capital N'Djamena, according to a letter sent to the transitional government," Reuters reports.
There has been no final decision on whether or not all U.S. troops will leave Niger and Chad, a top U.S. military official said. https://t.co/khC14iTCCJ
— Stars and Stripes (@starsandstripes) April 25, 2024
Per Reuters:
A U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a few dozen special forces troops who are in Chad as planners and advisers will move to Germany for now.
Interim President Mahamat Idriss Deby is running for election next month, making Chad the first of West and Central Africa's junta-ruled countries to organise a vote. Opposition groups have flagged concerns about its credibility.
Until now, the vast central African country has been a key partner for Western and regional militaries in a joint fight against a violent Islamist insurgency in neighbouring West Africa.
In the letter dated April 4 to Chad's minister of armed forces, Air Force Chief of Staff Idriss Amine Ahmed said he had told the U.S. defence attache to halt U.S. activities at Adji Kossei Air Base after “Americans” had failed to provide documents justifying their presence there.
Former colonial power France still has 1,000 troops and war planes based in Chad.
It has become all the more central to Western security strategy in the region since neighbouring Niger kicked out French troops after its junta seized power in a coup last year, following similar moves by military-led Mali and Burkina Faso.
Hindustan Times reports Russia is gaining a stronger foothold in West Africa, but the United States hasn't made a final decision on withdrawing all troops from Niger and Chad.
"Russia's growing dominance in West Africa has rattled the U.S. The Associated Press reported that the U.S. is yet to take a final decision on pulling out troops from Niger and Chad a month after the West African country's Junta ended an agreement with the Joe Biden administration. The U.S.' second-highest-ranking military officer said that the country wants to stay in Niger and Chad 'to help them, we want to empower them, we want to do things by, with and through (them),'" the outlet writes.
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