The Pentagon plans to withdraw dozens of special forces from Chad in the coming days, the second time in a week for U.S. security and counterterrorism policy in the volatile region of West and Central Africa. It will be a major blow, U.S. officials announced Thursday.
The decision to withdraw about 75 Army Special Forces personnel operating in Chad's capital N'Djamena came days after the Biden administration announced it would withdraw more than 1,000 U.S. military personnel from Niger in the coming months.
The Pentagon has been forced to reduce its forces in response to demands from African governments to renegotiate the rules and conditions under which U.S. military personnel can operate. Analysts say both countries want terms favorable to their interests. Although the decision to withdraw from Niger is final, U.S. officials said they hope to resume talks on security cooperation after Chad's elections on May 6.
The resignations of U.S. military advisers from both countries come as Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso move away from long-standing cooperation with the United States and form partnerships with, or at least seek closer security ties with, Russia. It was conducted.
The Kremlin uses persuasion, and in some cases coercion, to achieve its goals. Last year, the United States warned Chad's president that Russian mercenaries were plotting to kill him and three of his senior aides, and that Russia was supporting Chadian rebels massing in the southern Central African Republic. I warned you that you were doing it. At the same time, the Kremlin was courting sympathizers in Chad's ruling elite, including his ministers and the president's half-brother.
The impending departure of U.S. military advisers from Chad, a vast desert country located at the crossroads of continents, was prompted by the following factors: Letter from the Chad government This month, the United States threatened to abandon a key security agreement with Washington.
The letter was sent to the U.S. Defense Attaché, and although it did not directly order U.S. forces to withdraw from Chad, they operate from the Chadian military base in the capital, which serves as an important hub for coordination with the U.S. He named the special operations forces. Advice on military training and missions in the region.
The task force includes approximately 75 Green Berets from the 20th Special Forces Group, an Alabama National Guard unit. Several other U.S. military personnel work at the embassy or in other advisory positions and are not affected by the decision to withdraw, officials said.
This letter blindsided and confused American diplomats and military personnel. It was sent by Chad's Air Force Chief of Staff Idris Amin. I typed in French, one of Chad's official languages. was written on Gen. Amin's official letterhead, two U.S. officials said. They said it was not sent through official diplomatic channels, which is the typical way to deal with such issues.
The letter, CNN earlier reported, could be a negotiating tactic by some military and government officials to pressure the U.S. into a more favorable deal before the May elections. , current and former U.S. officials said.
Unlike the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Niger, U.S. officials say the withdrawal from Chad will depend on whether diplomats can reach a so-called new status of forces agreement and, if an agreement is reached, the U.S. military He said it could only be temporary until advisers decide whether to return to Chad. Barring any last-minute diplomatic developments, U.S. troops are scheduled to begin departing this weekend and complete their departure for Germany by May 1, two U.S. officials said.
The region's former colonial power, France, has a much larger military presence in Chad, but the United States also counts on it as a reliable security partner.
Chad's presidential guard is the best trained and equipped in Africa's semi-arid region known as the Sahel. The country hosts military exercises by the United States. Pentagon Africa Command officials said Chad is a key partner in the effort to combat Boko Haram, which involves several countries in the Lake Chad Basin.
“U.S. Africa Command is committed to building lasting partnerships with Chad and other African countries in the Sahel to address mutual security concerns and help promote a peaceful and prosperous future for the region. “We remain dedicated to our mission,” said Army Commander Gen. Michael E. Langley. He spoke during a visit to Chad in January, according to a statement from the command.
During his trip, General Langley met with Chad's military chief of staff, General Abakar Abdelkerim Daoud, and other leaders, according to the statement. Discussions focused on regional security challenges and Chad's efforts to counter violent extremism in the Sahel region.
Mahamat Adamou Contributed report from N'Djamena, Chad.