Aozou Strip

The Aozou Strip (alternatively, Aouzou Strip) is a portion of northern Chad which lies along the border with Libya, extending south to a depth of about 100 kilometers into Chad's Bourkou-Ennedi-Tibesti prefecture.

Rich with uranium deposits, a dispute over the control of this area led to a war between the two countries. In 1973, Libya engaged in military operations in the Aozou Strip to gain access to minerals and to use as a base of influence in Chadian politics. Libya based its claim to the area on an unratified 1935 treaty between France and Italy, the colonial powers of Chad and Libya, respectively. After consolidating its hold on the strip, Libya annexed it in 1976.

Chadian forces were able to force the Libyans to retreat from the Aozou Strip in 1987. A cease-fire between Chad and Libya held from 1987 to 1988, and negotiations over the next several years led to the 1994 International Court of Justice decision granting Chad sovereignty over the Aozou strip, effectively ending Libyan occupation.