 Since 1983 Chad was de facto partitioned , with the northern half controlled by the rebel Transitional Government of National Unity ( GUNT ) headed by Goukouni Oueddei and supported on the ground by Libyan forces , while the south was held by the Western @-@ backed Chadian government guided by Hissène Habré . This partition on 16th parallel ( the so @-@ called Red Line ) into Libyan and French zones of influence was informally recognised by France in 1984 , following an accord between France and Libya to withdraw their forces from Chad . The accord was not respected by Libya , which maintained at least 3 @,@ 000 men stationed in northern Chad . 
