Ahmad 
Chadian Defense Minister Yacoub visited the Nigerian capital Niamey, where he held a series of meetings with officials including his Nigerien counterpart Salifu Modi and Prime Minister Mohamed Lamine Zein.
Local sources confirmed that the Chadian minister discussed with his counterpart Modi issues of military cooperation and ways of interaction in addressing armed clashes on the common border.
The Chadian minister expressed his country’s “gratitude to the Nigerian authorities who assisted in the process of returning Chadian citizens from southern Libya” as part of the military operation carried out by the Nigerian armed forces in recent days, local sources said.
Authorities in Niamey and N’Djamena did not elaborate on the nature of the operation that led to the release of Chadian nationals, while a Chadian government source stated that these people were abducted by armed groups in southern Libya and that Niger helped to free them.
Niger’s pro-government newspaper Sahel reported that the repatriated citizens were former rebels who had returned home as part of the “outstretched hand” policy of Chadian transitional president Mahamat Idriss Déby.
The newspaper quoted the Chadian defense minister as saying that “his country is emerging from a three-year trouble-free transition period, moving towards a democratic system under the slogan of national reconciliation among all Chadian citizens through the current elections.”
The sources did not disclose whether the Chadian defense minister visited the base known globally as “Base 101” where Russian forces are stationed, along with US forces preparing to leave the country, after Niger decided to cancel a previous agreement allowing US troops to remain and headed towards Moscow, which extended a helping hand in rebuilding its military capabilities to confront terrorism.
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