The Great Toyota War

In 1987, a decades-long war in Chad reached a dramatic turning point in what would come to be known as the Great Toyota War.

Named after the rugged pick-up trucks that transformed modern desert warfare, this campaign saw the lightly armed Chadian forces out manoeuvre Libya’s heavily fortified military.

They achieved a string of astonishing victories, including the capture of the Libyan airbase at Ouadi Dum. Former Chadian officer Mahamat Saleh Bani recalls the speed, ingenuity, and bravery that defined this extraordinary chapter of African history. He speaks to Pearse Lynch. An Africa Digital Audio production.

Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there. For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.

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(Photo: Great Toyota War. Credit: AFP)