The Chadian Armed Forces (''Forces Armées Tchadiennes'' or FAT) were the army of the central government of
Chad
Chad, officially the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North Africa, North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to Chad–Libya border, the north, Sudan to Chad–Sudan border, the east, the Central Afric ...
from 1960 to 1979, under the southern presidents
François Tombalbaye and
Félix Malloum, until the downfall of the latter in 1979, when the head of the ''
gendarmerie
A gendarmerie () is a paramilitary or military force with law enforcement duties among the civilian population. The term ''gendarme'' () is derived from the medieval French expression ', which translates to " men-at-arms" (). In France and so ...
'',
Wadel Abdelkader Kamougué, assumed command. Joined by gendarmerie units, FAT became a regional force representing primarily the
Sara ethnic group of the five southern
prefectures
A prefecture (from the Latin word, "''praefectura"'') is an administrative jurisdiction traditionally governed by an appointed prefect. This can be a regional or local government subdivision in various countries, or a subdivision in certain inter ...
. It joined with the
Transitional Government of National Unity (GUNT) forces fighting against
Hissène Habré
Hissène Habré (Arabic: ''Ḥusaīn Ḥabrī'', Chadian Arabic: ; ; 13 August 1942 – 24 August 2021), also spelled Hissen Habré, was a Chadian politician and convicted war criminal who served as the 5th president of Chad from 1982 unt ...
and was a recipient of aid from
Libya
Libya, officially the State of Libya, is a country in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya border, the east, Sudan to Libya–Sudan border, the southeast, Chad to Chad–L ...
. FAT began to disintegrate during 1982 as a result of defeats inflicted by Habré's
Armed Forces of the North (FAN). Most remaining soldiers accepted integration into FAN or resumed their insurgency as ''
codos''.
Branches
The Military of Chad is divided into three main branches of service:
*
Chadian National Army
*
Chadian Air Force
The Chadian Air Force () is the aviation branch of the Chad National Army. It was formed in 1961 as the Chadian National Flight/Squadron ( or ENT).
The force shared a base with French forces at N'Djamena International Airport until Jan 25 when ...
*Gendarmerie
Military statistics
The Armed Forces of Chad have around 2.2 million women available to be drafted into their military as well as around 1.9 million men. People are considered fit for military service in Chad at the age of 20. People in Chad can volunteer to join the military at age 18, however if you wait until age 20 there is a 3-year service obligation. There is also no minimum age for volunteers as long as guardian consent is given. Women in Chad are subject to 1 year of compulsory military or civic service at the age of 21. The government of Chad spends around 4.2% of their GDP on their armed forces. The Chadian Armed Forces spend about One-Hundred and One million dollars in military spending. The Chadian Armed Forces are ranked eleventh overall recent military growth.
See also
*
FROLINAT
*
Malloum's Military Government
*
Civil war in Chad (1965–1979) War in Chad or Chadian Civil War may refer to:
* Chadian Civil War (1965–1979)
* Chadian–Libyan War
The Chadian–Libyan War was a series of military campaigns in Chad between 1978 and 1987, fought between Libyan and allied Chadian forces ...
References
''Chad: A Country Study''
Military history of Chad
Chadian–Libyan War
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