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The History of the Conflict<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nFor countries struggling with rebel conflicts, the Toyota Hilux became indispensable to transport troops, weapons, and supplies across the sand-filled wastelands of Northern Africa. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Their ability to maneuver in less-than-ideal environments made them appealing, as they were harder to eliminate but could be armed quickly and get closer to their targets. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The story of the Toyota War began in 1972 when Libya gained the Aouzou Strip under questionable circumstances. A strip of land in northern Chad, which lies along the border of Libya, had captured the interest of the Libyans. They moved in troops, established an airbase, and established civil administration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Felix Malloum, the President of the Republic of Chad, brought up the issue at the UN, claiming that Libya was occupying his country. That created a touchy situation for Muammar Gaddafi and the Libyan army. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Thus began the Chadian-Libyan conflict in 1978. Over the next decade, there were four Libyan interventions in Chad. The first was in 1978, the second in 1979, the third lasted from 1980 to 1981, and the last was from 1983 to 1987. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In every intervention, Gaddafi poured money into the numerous factions that participated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Those rebels made it challenging for Chad to fight off the attacks. However, they also appeared to be in the superior position in the early stages of their conflict. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
At the beginning of this nine-year conflict in 1968, the Libyan army numbered 8,000 soldiers, 300 tanks, 60 combat aircraft, Mi-24 helicopters, and regular artillery pieces. The Chad National Armed Forces were composed of just 10,000 soldiers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Role of the Toyota Hilux<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\nLibya was aligned with Chadian rebel leaders, who provided them with critical information about northern Chad\u2019s mountainous terrain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1987, that alliance changed when one of the major Chadian rebel leaders fell out with Gaddafi. Now that Libya\u2019s ally had switched sides, France decided to act. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Libya was aligned with Chadian rebel leaders, who provided them with critical information about northern Chad\u2019s mountainous terrain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
In 1987, that alliance changed when one of the major Chadian rebel leaders fell out with Gaddafi. Now that Libya\u2019s ally had switched sides, France decided to act. <\/p>\n\n\n\n