French President Emmanuel Macron has, for the first time, called the 1944 killings of West African troops by French soldiers a “massacre.”
In a letter addressed to Senegalese authorities on Thursday, Macron recognized the Thiaroye tragedy ahead of its 80th anniversary.
The killings occurred on December 1, 1944, in Thiaroye, a village near Dakar, where French troops killed between 35 and 400 West African soldiers.
These soldiers, part of the Tirailleurs Sénégalais, had fought for France in World War II but were demanding unpaid wages at the time.
Historians say French forces rounded up mostly unarmed soldiers and opened fire, framing the event as a mutiny.
Macron’s letter acknowledged France’s role, stating, “The confrontation triggered a chain of events that resulted in a massacre.”
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye welcomed the letter, urging for “full, frank, and collaborative” efforts to uncover the truth.
The event has long symbolized colonial injustice and remains a painful chapter in Senegal’s history.
Macron also expressed support for a fact-finding committee led by Professor Mamadou Diouf to establish the causes and facts of the tragedy.
This recognition comes amid France’s waning influence in West Africa and Senegal’s push for economic independence from French interests.
President Faye hinted at reevaluating Senegal’s ties with France, including the presence of French troops in the country.
“Historically, France enslaved, colonized, and stayed here,” Faye said. “Imagine another country maintaining a military base in France—it’s unthinkable.”
Macron’s acknowledgment marks a step toward reckoning with France’s colonial past and its lingering impact on its former colonies.