Why did Chad send troops to Mali in 2013?

Chad sent troops to Mali in 2013 as part of an international effort to assist the Malian government in reclaiming its northern territory from Islamist fighters.1

Following a southerly incursion by these militants in early January 2013, which threatened government-held areas, the international community mobilized to prevent the region from becoming a haven for extremist groups. Chad’s forces joined the African-led International Support Mission in Mali (AFISMA), working alongside France and other African nations to utilize air strikes and ground combat to force the insurgents to retreat. This intervention was critical in pushing the fighters out of key towns and stabilizing the region, eventually leading to the transition of operations to the Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) later that year.1