The U.S. military is planning to return to Chad within a month for discussions on revising an agreement that allows troops to be based there. This decision comes after the U.S. announced last month that it was withdrawing most of its contingent of about 100 troops from Chad. The Chadian government had raised concerns about the legality of the U.S. troops' operations in the country, prompting the withdrawal. This move followed a similar decision by Niger to order all U.S. troops out of the country, impacting U.S. military operations in the Sahel region.
U.S. Marine Corps Gen. Michael Langley, the commander of U.S. Africa Command, made these statements during the second annual African Maritime Forces Summit in Ghana. He mentioned that the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Chad is expected to be temporary, with Chad expressing its desire to continue the security partnership after its upcoming presidential election.
The U.S. military plans to engage in discussions with Chad to determine how to enhance their security cooperation and combat terrorism in the region. Chad's presidential election is scheduled for Monday, with the interim president, Mahamat Deby Itno, expected to win. He assumed power after his father's death in 2021 and extended the transitional period by two years, leading to protests in the country.
Langley emphasized that the withdrawal of U.S. forces is part of an ongoing review of security cooperation, which will resume after Chad's presidential election on May 6. Both Chad and Niger have played crucial roles in U.S. efforts to counter violent extremist groups in the Sahel region. However, Niger's ruling junta recently terminated an agreement allowing U.S. troops to operate in the country.
Niger hosts a significant U.S. air base in Agadez, used for surveillance flights and other operations. The U.S. has invested substantial resources in training Niger's military since commencing operations in the country in 2013. The withdrawal decision regarding U.S. troops was made last month, not this month, as previously stated.
