The central African state first announced that it was ending military ties with France last week. The announcement came after French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot visited Chad and was told that Chad's military is strong enough to protect civilians and their property, according to government officials.

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby has defended his decision to break military ties with France, saying at a news conference Sunday that their defense pact no longer meets Chad’s security needs.

In late November, both Senegal and Chad – independently of one another – moved to profoundly alter their longstanding relationships with the French military. Senegalese President Diomaye Bassirou Faye,

Chadian President Mahamat Idriss Deby has ordered the withdrawal of French troops, citing that the decades-long defense pact no longer addresses Chad’s escalating security concerns, including terrorism.

The decision by Chad is another blow to what remained of France’s military influence in the troubled stretch of countries below the Sahara, where Russia’s influence has been growing.

There is no indication that Paris had been informed prior to the announcement, made as French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot was visiting N'Djamena on Thursday.

French President Emmanuel Macron poses with Chad's President General Mahamat Idriss Deby Itno at the 19th Francophonie Summit of French-speaking nations in the castle of Villers-Cotterets, France, October 4,

Deby stated that the agreement no longer served Chad's security or geopolitical interests. Despite over a decade of fighting a jihadist insurgency, support from French and U.S. troops has not succeeded in stabilizing the country.