WASHINGTON: The US will withdraw some troops from Chad, the Pentagon has said, days after Washington agreed to move forces out of neighboring Niger.
The US has approximately 100 troops stationed in Chad as part of its strategy to combat extremism in West Africa.
“USAFRICOM is currently planning to reposition some US military forces from Chad, a portion of which were already scheduled to depart,” Pentagon press secretary Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder told a news conference, referring to the US Africa Command.
“This is a temporary step as part of an ongoing review of our security cooperation, which will resume after Chad’s May 6 presidential election.”
The withdrawal of about 75 US Army Special Forces personnel is scheduled to begin this weekend and be completed within days unless there are last-minute diplomatic developments, the New York Times reported, citing US officials.
Chad’s air force chief had ordered the US military this month to halt activities at an air base near the capital N’Djamena, according to a letter sent to the transitional government.
He said he had asked the US military to provide documents “justifying its presence at the Adji Kossei Air Base” but had not received any.
US troops at the Adji Kossei military base train anti-terrorism special forces and an elite unit of the Chadian army to combat the Nigerian jihadist group Boko Haram.
“The presence of American forces in Chad was initially motivated by a common commitment to the fight against terrorism, an objective shared between the two nations,” a Chadian government spokesperson said.
“However, the Chadian general staff has expressed concerns about this presence,” said Abderaman Koulamallah. In recognition of the concerns expressed, the US government has decided to temporarily withdraw its forces from Chad.
“It is important to stress that this withdrawal does not in any way signal a break in cooperation between the two countries in the fight against terrorism.
“Further discussions will take place to explore the possibility of the return of US forces in the case of a specific bilateral agreement between the two nations.”
Neighboring Niger is also a linchpin in the US and French strategy to combat jihadists in the region.
But Niger’s ruling military junta said in March that it was ending a military cooperation agreement with Washington, claiming it had been imposed and the US troop presence was illegal.
Washington this week began discussions with Niger on withdrawing the more than 1,000 US personnel in the country, which is also home to a $100-million American drone base.
The US will “continue to explore options on how we can ensure that we’re able to continue to address potential terrorist threats” in the wake of the withdrawal, Ryder said this week following the announcement of the US pull-out from Niger.
General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno seized the presidency of Chad in a 2021 coup after the death of his father, Idriss Deby Itno, who had ruled the Sahel country with an iron fist for more than three decades.
He announced in March his candidacy in the upcoming presidential election that has seen opposition candidates banned from running, and his main rival Yaya Dillo Djerou shot dead in an army assault on his party headquarters.
 

NEW DELHI: Australia’s Jake Fraser-McGurk smashed 84 off 27 deliveries to fire Delhi Capitals to 257-4 and a 10-run win over Mumbai Indians in another IPL high-scorer on Saturday.
In the second match of the day, skipper Sanju Samson hit an unbeaten 71 as Rajasthan Royals all but confirmed their play-off spot with a seven-wicket hammering of Lucknow Super Giants.
Delhi, at their home Arun Jaitley Stadium, posted their best-ever total in the T20 tournament, a day after Punjab Kings chased down a record target of 262.
Delhi’s previous best was 231-4 in 2011 against Punjab Kings. This edition Sunrisers Hyderabad have twice smashed IPL records with totals of 277 and 287.
Bowlers kept five-time champions Mumbai down to 247-9 despite a valiant 32-ball 63 by Tilak Varma as Delhi boosted their play-off hopes with five wins in 10 matches.
Fraser-McGurk, a 22-year-old Australian batsman who has taken his IPL debut season by storm with three half-centuries in five matches, started with two fours and a six off England pace bowler Luke Wood in a 19-run first over.
“That’s my role, go out there and score as many as I can and get the team off to a nice start,” Fraser-McGurk, who has a strike-rate of 237.50, said after his blitz.
The Australian kept up the charge to reach his fifty in 15 balls with a hit over the fence and put on 114 runs with opening partner Abishek Porel, who hit 36.
Leg-spinner Piyush Chawla finally denied Fraser-McGurk, who went unsold in the auction before Delhi signed him as injury replacement, his century.
There was no stopping Delhi as Shai Hope hit a 17-ball 41, skipper Rishabh Pant made 29 off 19 deliveries and Tristan Stubbs smashed an unbeaten 48 to pummel the opposition attack.
Mumbai, who have endured a tough season after Hardik Pandya replaced veteran Rohit Sharma as captain and has been booed across a number of venues, lost regular wickets.
Pandya hit 46 off 16 balls but it was a 70-run partnership between Varma and Tim David, who hit 37 off 17 balls that raised Mumbai’s hopes, but Delhi kept calm.
David fell lbw to Mukesh Kumar after a four and a six and Varma was run out at the start of the final over as Mumbai remained ninth.
Kumar and fellow medium-pace bowler and impact substitute Rasikh Salam took three wickets each.
In the evening match in Lucknow, the hosts posted 196-5 courtesy a 76 by skipper KL Rahul and his 115 run stand with Deepak Hooda, who made 50.
Lucknow lost two early wickets after New Zealand’s left-arm quick Trent Boult bowled Quinton de Kock for eight and Sandeep Sharma bowled Marcus Stoinis for a duck.
Rahul and Hooda steadied the innings and then hit back but the effort was not enough as Dhruv Jurel, who hit 52, and Samson steered table-toppers Rajasthan home with one over to spare for their eighth win in nine matches.
Top four teams will qualify for the play-offs.