Battle of Fada
Encyclopedia
The battle of Fada took place in northern Chad
in 1987, and was a turning point of the Libyan-Chadian War.
ns controlled all Chad north of the 16th parallel
. However, when the French
intervened in the country in Operation Sparrowhawk
and Goukouni Oueddei
's and his People's Armed Forces
rebelled against his former supporter Muammar al-Gaddafi
, Libya's President, the situation became critical for the Libyan army
and promising for Chad's President
Hissène Habré
.
Certain that the French would protect Chad south of the 16th parallel, Habré started assembling his army, the Chadian National Armed Forces
(FANT), at Kalaït, a logistic deposit built by France exactly at the 16th parallel, and which it had stocked with munitions, weapons and fuel. France and the United States
had equipped the FANT with a large number of Toyota pickups, and antitank and antiaircraft missile launchers, such as MILAN
ATGWs. The FANT assault under the command of Hassan Djamous
deployed almost 3000 soldiers for the coming battle.
, the capital of the Ennedi and a Libyan stronghold, on January 2. Hassan Djamous took the 1,000 Libyan soldiers and the 300–400 members of the Revolutionary Democratic Council (CDR) militia by surprise. In a short but brutal engagement the FANT almost annihilated the Libyan armoured brigade that defended Fada: 784 Libyans died, 92 T-55
tanks and 33 BMP-1
infantry fighting vehicle
s were destroyed, and 13 T-55s and 18 BMP-1s captured, together with 81 Libyan soldiers. Chadian losses were mininimal: only 18 soldiers died and three Toyotas were destroyed.
This was one of the first major combat victories employing the tactic of using light trucks armed with machine guns or rockets, later known as "technicals
." This tactic mirrored the actions of the raids conducted by the Long Range Desert Group
of World War II
, but on a slightly smaller scale theater, against slightly less numerous enemies, but with more modern weaponry and equipment.
Although the Chadian commander's tactical ability played an important role in the victory, the anti-tank missiles were decisive. When combined with the superior maneuverability of the Toyotas, they proved their efficacy against the Libyan tanks.
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
in 1987, and was a turning point of the Libyan-Chadian War.
Prelude
At the beginning of 1986 the LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
ns controlled all Chad north of the 16th parallel
16th parallel north
The 16th parallel north is a circle of latitude that is 16 degrees north of the Earth's equatorial plane. It crosses Africa, Asia, the Indian Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, Central America, the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean....
. However, when the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
intervened in the country in Operation Sparrowhawk
Operation Sparrowhawk
Opération Épervier is the codename for the ongoing French military presence in Chad.-Containing Libya:Opération Épervier started in the night of 13 and 14 February 1986, under the Defence agreement between France and Chad, and was prepared during a meeting in N'Djamena between the Chadian...
and Goukouni Oueddei
Goukouni Oueddei
Goukouni Oueddei is a Chadian political figure. He was Head of State of Chad from 1979 to 1982. He is currently in exile.-Biography:...
's and his People's Armed Forces
People's Armed Forces
The People's Armed Forces was a Chadian insurgent group composed of followers of Goukouni Oueddei after the schism with Hissène Habré in 1976...
rebelled against his former supporter Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar al-Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
, Libya's President, the situation became critical for the Libyan army
Military of Libya
The Libyan Armed Forces constituted the state defence organisation of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya before they were destroyed, and are being replaced by a new national army. A Major General, Suleiman Mahmoud al-Obeidi, was named interim chief of staff of the rebellion's armed forces in mid July...
and promising for Chad's President
Heads of state of Chad
-List of Heads of State of Chad:-Affiliations:-External links:**...
Hissène Habré
Hissène Habré
Hissène Habré , also spelled Hissen Habré, was the leader of Chad from 1982 until he was deposed in 1990.-Early life:...
.
Certain that the French would protect Chad south of the 16th parallel, Habré started assembling his army, the Chadian National Armed Forces
Chadian National Armed Forces
The Chadian National Armed Forces was the army of the central government of Chad from January 1983, when the President Hissène Habré's forces, in first place his personal Armed Forces of the North , were merged...
(FANT), at Kalaït, a logistic deposit built by France exactly at the 16th parallel, and which it had stocked with munitions, weapons and fuel. France and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
had equipped the FANT with a large number of Toyota pickups, and antitank and antiaircraft missile launchers, such as MILAN
MILAN
MILAN " is French and German for "kite bird") is a European anti-tank guided missile. Design of the MILAN started in 1962. It was ready for trials in 1971, and was accepted for service in 1972. It is a wire guided SACLOS missile, which means the sight of the launch unit has to be aimed at the...
ATGWs. The FANT assault under the command of Hassan Djamous
Hassan Djamous
Hassan Djamous was a Commander in Chief of the Chadian Army and a cousin of current Chadian President Idriss Déby. The Hassan Djamous International Airport is named after him....
deployed almost 3000 soldiers for the coming battle.
Battle
This powerful force attacked FadaFada
Fada is the capital of the Ennedi Ouest department of Chad, lying in the Ennedi Plateau. It has a population of 23,786 .It is known for the surrounding cave paintings and rock formations, while the Guelta d'Archei and a wood growing in a wadi are local attractions.It is the birthplace of the...
, the capital of the Ennedi and a Libyan stronghold, on January 2. Hassan Djamous took the 1,000 Libyan soldiers and the 300–400 members of the Revolutionary Democratic Council (CDR) militia by surprise. In a short but brutal engagement the FANT almost annihilated the Libyan armoured brigade that defended Fada: 784 Libyans died, 92 T-55
T-55
The T-54 and T-55 tanks were a series of main battle tanks designed in the Soviet Union. The first T-54 prototype appeared in March 1945, just before the end of the Second World War. The T-54 entered full production in 1947 and became the main tank for armored units of the Soviet Army, armies of...
tanks and 33 BMP-1
BMP-1
The BMP-1 is a Soviet amphibious tracked infantry fighting vehicle. BMP stands for Boyevaya Mashina Pekhoty 1 , meaning "infantry fighting vehicle". The BMP-1 was the world's first mass-produced infantry fighting vehicle...
infantry fighting vehicle
Infantry fighting vehicle
An infantry fighting vehicle , also known as a mechanized infantry combat vehicle , is a type of armoured fighting vehicle used to carry infantry into battle and provide fire support for them...
s were destroyed, and 13 T-55s and 18 BMP-1s captured, together with 81 Libyan soldiers. Chadian losses were mininimal: only 18 soldiers died and three Toyotas were destroyed.
This was one of the first major combat victories employing the tactic of using light trucks armed with machine guns or rockets, later known as "technicals
Technical (fighting vehicle)
A technical is a type of improvised fighting vehicle, typically a civilian or military non-combat vehicle, modified to provide an offensive capability similar to a military gun truck...
." This tactic mirrored the actions of the raids conducted by the Long Range Desert Group
Long Range Desert Group
The Long Range Desert Group was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The commander of the German Afrika Corps, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, admitted that the LRDG "caused us more damage than any other British unit of equal strength".Originally called...
of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, but on a slightly smaller scale theater, against slightly less numerous enemies, but with more modern weaponry and equipment.
Although the Chadian commander's tactical ability played an important role in the victory, the anti-tank missiles were decisive. When combined with the superior maneuverability of the Toyotas, they proved their efficacy against the Libyan tanks.
Aftermath
On January 3 and 4 the Libyan Air Force sent several waves of bombers to Fada in an attempt to destroy the captured equipment and ammunition. Still, these could not change the essential fact that Libya had suffered a major defeat that was to prove the beginning of the end of the Chadian-Libyan War.External links
- Operation Epervier (in French)
- Libyan Wars