A French Mirage fighter jet deployed in Chad was unable to take off due to an engine malfunction during the withdrawal of French forces from the country, a French newspaper reported, citing sources in the African country.
According to them, only two fighter jets managed to leave, while the last of the three did not take off; it must now leave the country "within 48 hours." French planes, which "require regular flights," were unable to take off after Chad announced the termination of the defense agreement, the newspaper explained.
A French diplomat told the publication that Paris wanted to use the swift withdrawal of its fighter jets to demonstrate its desire to "act quickly and affirm its commitments."
"We requested a prompt withdrawal, and we got it," reportedly stated a Chadian official.
He also noted that he was surprised at how quickly the French authorities complied with Chad's demands.
On November 29, Chad's Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed about the decision to terminate the defense cooperation agreement with France. On December 5, Chad’s Prime Minister Allamaye Halina appointed members of the commission to implement the decision to end military cooperation with France. The commission consists of 21 members. Their tasks include legal, logistical and other aspects of the severance of military ties.