Macron landed at Kossei air base near N'Djamena, the nerve centre of Operation Barkhane, a four-year campaign led by France against Islamic jihadists in Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania and Niger.

He met first with Chadian President Idriss Deby before greeting and eating with the French troops, his second such trip after one to Niger a year ago.

The French president also spoke with the commanders of British, Estonian, German and Spanish units that are taking part in the operaton.

The president's personal chef Guillaume Gomez made the trip as well to ensure the troops received a holiday meal from home despite temperatures that can reach 32 degrees Celsius (90 degrees Fahrenheit).

A Barkhane commander said the operation's 4,500 troops carry out 600 operations each month.