Senegal Commemorates Thiaroye Massacre Amid Calls for Justice

Senegal marked the 80th anniversary of the Thiaroye massacre, urging France to apologize and investigate the 1944 killing of African soldiers by French troops. With varying accounts and death tolls, recent French acknowledgment renews Senegal's demands amidst shifting geopolitical influences in Africa.

On Sunday, Senegal solemnly marked the 80th anniversary of the Thiaroye massacre, a dark chapter where African soldiers, having fought for France during World War Two, were brutally shot by French troops in 1944 for demanding fair compensation on their return home.

Senegal continues to urge its former colonizer to take responsibility, officially apologize, and investigate the massacre that occurred in Thiaroye, near Dakar. This anniversary underscores France's waning influence in its former African colonies, some of which are shifting security allegiances to Russia.

French President Emmanuel Macron's recent letter acknowledging the massacre is part of a recent trend towards transparency, yet discrepancies persist in the death toll, with historians estimating up to 400 soldiers may be buried in mass graves. These events highlight ongoing demands for historical accountability and justice.

(With inputs from agencies.)