Chad ends a defense cooperation agreement with France, its former colonial ruler WSOC TV [Video]

DAKAR, Senegal — (AP) — Chad’s government is ending a defense cooperation agreement with France, its former colonial ruler, to redefine the nation’s sovereignty.

The decision marks a historic turning point after the Central African nation gained independence more than six decades ago, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Abderaman Koulamallah said in a statement Thursday.

It said the decision to end the agreement would allow Chad to redefine its strategic partnerships in line with national priorities.

There was no immediate response from France’s government.

Chad was one of the last countries in the region in which France maintained a large military presence, having been ousted in recent years from Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso after years of fighting Islamic extremists alongside regional troops. Those countries have inched closer to Russia, which has mercenaries deployed across the Sahel, the vast expanse below the Sahara desert.

Chad’s interim president, Mahamat Deby Itno, seized power after his father, who ran the country for …