Senegal Marks 80th Anniversary of Thiaroye Massacre with Historic Recognition

President Macron officially acknowledges the 1944 killings as a 'massacre' during Senegal's unprecedented commemoration of the tragedy.

The 80th anniversary of the Thiaroye massacre was commemorated in Senegal with significant participation from African leaders and a French delegation.
President Emmanuel Macron, for the first time, officially called the 1944 killings of African soldiers by French colonial forces a 'massacre.'
The Senegalese government announced plans to include the Thiaroye massacre in school curricula, erect a memorial, and create a research center to preserve its history.
Historians and Senegalese officials continue to push for access to French archives, citing discrepancies in victim numbers, with estimates ranging from 35 to 400.
President Bassirou Diomaye Faye emphasized the need for historical truth as a foundation for a renewed relationship with France, while also announcing the closure of French military bases in Senegal.