Opération Tacaud
Encyclopedia
Opération Tacaud was a French
military operation in Chad
, that took place between 20 February 1978 and May 1980. Its aim was to support the Chadian army in protecting N'Djamena
from the FROLINAT
.
by the FROLINAT
on 17 February 1978, opening the road to N'Djamena
, capital of Chad. France decided to send in troops to support the Chadian army, as had been previously done with Opération Bison
a few years before.
.
The 3rd RIMa was sent in its entirety, along with
The Navy offered one Breguet Atlantic plane for intelligence gathering, as well as naval commandos who were deployed at N'Djamena International Airport
.
The Air Force offered eight SEPECAT Jaguar
attack planes and a number of Transall aircraft for transport.
Furthermore, two units of the 11th Parachute Division
, the 2nd REP
and the 35th RAP
, were put in alert for possible deployment.
On 20 April, these troops received reinforcements with the first company of the 1st REC
, equipped with Panhard AML
armoured cars; one command platoon; and one mechanised platoon under captain Yvanoff. The 2nd squadron of the RIMC followed shortly thereafter.
, where the French routed a FROLINAT
group.
On 18 and 19 May, the Chadian 1st Infantry regiment had to rescue Chadian gendarmes surrounded by rebels in Ati
. A squadron of the 1er REC tried to join the fight from Mussoro, but was unable to reach the battle. The 3rd company of the 3rd RIMa also joined in, from Mongo; as they approached Ati, the marsouins
found themselves under heavy fire and had to call in air support, provided by the Jaguars.
On 19, reinforcements of the REC arrived. The next day, the Jaguars softened FROLINAT positions, which were them stormed and taken. The rebels disengaged and regrouped in Jeddah
, 45 km North of Ati, from where they threatened the town.
The French decided to raid the rebels in Jeddah to prevent another attack on Ati. On 31 May, two companies of the 3rd RIMa and a squadron of the 1st REC, supported by a battery of the 11th RAMa and the Jaguars, stormed the city. FROLINAT replied with small arm and Strela 2
fire, managing to shoot down one of the Jaguars with machine gun fire. Fighting lasted for 6 hours before the FROLINAT was routed.
After the battle of Jeddah, it took then months for the FROLINAT to reconstitute a fighting force capable of attacking a town. On 5 March 1979, it attacked and occupied Abéché
. The 3rd RIMa, the RIMC and the 11th RAMa had to intervene again.
The experience gathered during the operation started the trend of professionalisation of the Army.
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...
military operation in Chad
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...
, that took place between 20 February 1978 and May 1980. Its aim was to support the Chadian army in protecting N'Djamena
N'Djamena
N'Djamena is the capital and largest city of Chad. A port on the Chari River, near the confluence with the Logone River, it directly faces the Cameroonian town of Kousséri, to which the city is connected by a bridge. It is also a special statute region, divided in 10 arrondissements. It is a...
from the FROLINAT
FROLINAT
-Origins:The organization was born as the result of a political union between the leftist Chadian National Union , led by Ibrahim Abatcha, and the General Union of the Children of Chad which was led by Ahmed Hassan Musa. Musa was close to the Muslim Brotherhood and was an Islamist...
.
History
Opération Tacaud was triggered by the capture of Faya-LargeauFaya-Largeau
Located in the Sahara, Faya's climate is classed as hot desert on the Köppen climate classification. It experiences hot winters and very hot summers with the peak average maximum temperature reaching in May and the average minimum reaching its lowest in January at . Rainfall averages out at about...
by the FROLINAT
FROLINAT
-Origins:The organization was born as the result of a political union between the leftist Chadian National Union , led by Ibrahim Abatcha, and the General Union of the Children of Chad which was led by Ahmed Hassan Musa. Musa was close to the Muslim Brotherhood and was an Islamist...
on 17 February 1978, opening the road to N'Djamena
N'Djamena
N'Djamena is the capital and largest city of Chad. A port on the Chari River, near the confluence with the Logone River, it directly faces the Cameroonian town of Kousséri, to which the city is connected by a bridge. It is also a special statute region, divided in 10 arrondissements. It is a...
, capital of Chad. France decided to send in troops to support the Chadian army, as had been previously done with Opération Bison
Opération Bison
Opération Bison is the name given to the French military operation in Chad in the years 1969–1972.Chad was a former French colony that had become independent in 1960. In 1965 erupted the Chadian Civil War, and a year later the FROLINAT, an insurgent group, was formed to overthrow the Chadian...
a few years before.
Order of battle
Intervention was carried out by entirely professional units of the French Army, belonging to the 9th Marine Infantry Brigade9th Light Armoured Marine Brigade (France)
The 9th Light Armoured Marine Brigade is a light armoured, amphibious unit of the Troupes de marine of the French Army.- Composition :*Headquarters Poitiers...
.
The 3rd RIMa was sent in its entirety, along with
- a battery of the 11th RAMa,
- a squadron of the RIMC
- a squadron of the 1st REC1st Foreign Cavalry RegimentThe 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment is the only armoured cavalry regiment in the French Foreign Legion. It is one of two cavalry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade....
- two companies of the 2nd REP2nd Foreign Parachute RegimentThe 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment is an Airborne regiment of the French Foreign Legion. It is a part of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste and the spearhead of the French Rapid reaction force.-Indochina:...
- one motorised company of the 1st RE1st Foreign RegimentThe 1st Foreign Regiment is the senior regiment in the French Foreign Legion. Today the regiment is mainly administrative, and provides staff for the Command of the Foreign Legion....
The Navy offered one Breguet Atlantic plane for intelligence gathering, as well as naval commandos who were deployed at N'Djamena International Airport
N'Djamena International Airport
N'Djamena International Airport , serves N'Djamena, Chad, and is the main international airport of Chad.The airport is dual use, with civilian and military installations on opposite sides of the single runway.- Military base :...
.
The Air Force offered eight SEPECAT Jaguar
SEPECAT Jaguar
The SEPECAT Jaguar is an Anglo-French jet ground attack aircraft, originally used by the British Royal Air Force and the French Armée de l'Air in the close air support and nuclear strike role, and still in service with several export customers, notably the Indian Air Force and the Royal Air Force...
attack planes and a number of Transall aircraft for transport.
Furthermore, two units of the 11th Parachute Division
11th Parachute Brigade
The 11th Parachute Brigade is an airborne unit. It contains most of the parachute units in the French army.The brigade numbers around 8,500 personnel and includes eight regiments. It is under command of a général de brigade...
, the 2nd REP
2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment
The 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment is an Airborne regiment of the French Foreign Legion. It is a part of the 11e Brigade Parachutiste and the spearhead of the French Rapid reaction force.-Indochina:...
and the 35th RAP
35th Parachute Artillery Regiment
The 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment is the only airborne artillery unit of the French Army, it forms the artillery component of the 11th Parachute Brigade...
, were put in alert for possible deployment.
Deployment
The French Army already had men deployed in Chad, as personnel of the Marine Infantry were present for military counselling to the Chadian Army.On 20 April, these troops received reinforcements with the first company of the 1st REC
1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment
The 1st Foreign Cavalry Regiment is the only armoured cavalry regiment in the French Foreign Legion. It is one of two cavalry regiments of the 6th Light Armoured Brigade....
, equipped with Panhard AML
Panhard AML
-Former Operators:: unknown number of AML-60s and AML-90s in service between 1960-1975.: 34 Eland 90s and Eland 60s in service with the Rhodesian Security Forces in 1979, passed on to successor state.-Trivia:...
armoured cars; one command platoon; and one mechanised platoon under captain Yvanoff. The 2nd squadron of the RIMC followed shortly thereafter.
Operations
The first clashes occurred in SalalSalal
Gaultheria shallon is a leathery-leaved shrub in the heather family , native to western North America. In English it is known as salal, shallon, or in Britain simply Gaultheria.-Ecology:...
, where the French routed a FROLINAT
FROLINAT
-Origins:The organization was born as the result of a political union between the leftist Chadian National Union , led by Ibrahim Abatcha, and the General Union of the Children of Chad which was led by Ahmed Hassan Musa. Musa was close to the Muslim Brotherhood and was an Islamist...
group.
On 18 and 19 May, the Chadian 1st Infantry regiment had to rescue Chadian gendarmes surrounded by rebels in Ati
Ati
As a word, Ati may refer to:* Ati, a town in Chad* Ati, a Negrito ethnic group in the Philippines* Ati-Atihan Festival, an annual celebration held in the Philippines* Ati, a queen of the fabled Land of Punt in Africa...
. A squadron of the 1er REC tried to join the fight from Mussoro, but was unable to reach the battle. The 3rd company of the 3rd RIMa also joined in, from Mongo; as they approached Ati, the marsouins
Troupes de marine
The or Infanterie de marine, formerly Troupes coloniales, are an arm of the French Army with a colonial heritage. The Troupes de marine have a dedicated overseas service role. Despite their title they have been a part of the Army since 1958...
found themselves under heavy fire and had to call in air support, provided by the Jaguars.
On 19, reinforcements of the REC arrived. The next day, the Jaguars softened FROLINAT positions, which were them stormed and taken. The rebels disengaged and regrouped in Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, 45 km North of Ati, from where they threatened the town.
The French decided to raid the rebels in Jeddah to prevent another attack on Ati. On 31 May, two companies of the 3rd RIMa and a squadron of the 1st REC, supported by a battery of the 11th RAMa and the Jaguars, stormed the city. FROLINAT replied with small arm and Strela 2
Strela 2
The 9K32 “Strela-2” is a man-portable, shoulder-fired, low-altitude surface-to-air missile system with a high explosive warhead and passive infrared homing guidance...
fire, managing to shoot down one of the Jaguars with machine gun fire. Fighting lasted for 6 hours before the FROLINAT was routed.
After the battle of Jeddah, it took then months for the FROLINAT to reconstitute a fighting force capable of attacking a town. On 5 March 1979, it attacked and occupied Abéché
Abéché
-Demographics:Demographic evolution:-References:...
. The 3rd RIMa, the RIMC and the 11th RAMa had to intervene again.
Results
Opération Tacaud lost 18 killed and two downed Jaguars to the French. Professional units rotated in Chad until May 1980.The experience gathered during the operation started the trend of professionalisation of the Army.