Lac Iro Airstrip

The closure is primarily linked to economic and security factors. The airstrip's main purpose was to serve a nearby tourist facility, 'Le Campement du Lac Iro,' which catered to international sport fishing and safari clients. The escalation of the Chadian Civil War (2005-2010) and the spillover from the conflict in neighboring Darfur led to severe instability in southeastern Chad. This caused a complete collapse of the tourism industry in the region, leading to the closure of the camp. With its primary user gone, the airstrip lost its purpose, maintenance ceased, and it became unusable.

The site is completely abandoned and defunct. High-resolution satellite imagery shows the faint outline of the former runway, but it is entirely overgrown with savanna grass and shrubs. It is completely unusable for any type of aircraft. There are no buildings, infrastructure, or any signs of human activity at the site. The land has effectively reverted to its natural state.

Lac Iro Airstrip was a small, private dirt runway crucial for the niche tourism industry centered around Lake Iro in the 1990s and early 2000s. Its primary function was to fly in international tourists, bypassing the long and difficult overland journey from the capital, N'Djamena. It enabled the operation of 'Le Campement du Lac Iro,' a significant local employer and a rare example of international tourism in this remote part of Chad. The airstrip's identifier, TD-0012, is a DAFIF (Digital Aeronautical Flight Information File) code, indicating it was cataloged by US defense and intelligence agencies, which is common for even small, remote airfields worldwide. It may have also been used intermittently by conservation groups or government entities operating in the wider Plaines d'inondation des Bahr Aouk et Salamat Ramsar site.

There are no known plans or prospects for reopening the Lac Iro Airstrip. Reopening would require significant investment to clear, grade, and compact the runway surface. Such an investment would only be feasible if there were a renewed, stable demand, such as the re-establishment of a major tourist camp or a large-scale conservation or humanitarian project in the immediate vicinity. Given the ongoing security concerns in the broader Sahel region and the lack of infrastructure, the prospects for reopening are considered nonexistent in the foreseeable future.