Senegal today commemorates the 81st anniversary of the Thiaroye massacre, a tragic chapter in African history in which Senegalese Tirailleurs were killed by French colonial forces in 1944. The ceremony, held under the patronage of President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, forms part of the country’s renewed drive to “restore historical truth” about the event.
Gambian President Adama Barrow is expected to join the commemoration, which marks the second edition of the national remembrance. On December 1, 1944, more than one thousand African riflemen from 17 countries were killed after demanding payment of their wartime allowances and back pay for serving in World War II.
Recent archaeological findings have confirmed that the 34 graves long cited by colonial authorities were staged to align with the number of officially acknowledged victims, contradicting historical evidence of a far larger massacre.
The anniversary serves as both a national day of mourning and a reminder of the long fight for justice, recognition, and dignity for Africa’s forgotten soldiers.
