DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday for the first time recognized the killing of West African soldiers by the French Army in 1944 as a massacre in a letter addressed to the Senegalese authorities.
Macron's move, on the eve of the 80th anniversary of the World War II killings in Thiaroye — a fishing village on the outskirts of the Senegalese capital of Dakar — comes as France’s influence is declining in the region, with Paris losing its sway in the former French colonies in West Africa.
Between 35 and 400 West African soldiers who fought for the French Army in the Battle of France in 1940 were killed on Dec. 1, 1944 by French soldiers after what the French described as a mutiny over unpaid wages.
The West Africans were members of the unit called Tirailleurs Senegalais, a corps of colonial infantry in the French Army. According to historians, there were disputes over unpaid wages in the days before the massacre but on Dec. 1, French troops rounded up the West African soldiers, mostly unarmed, and shot and killed them.
Senegalese President Bassirou Diomaye Faye said he received the letter, which was seen by The Associated Press.
Speaking to reporters late on Thursday, Faye said Macron's step should “open the door” so that the "whole truth about this painful event of Thiaroye” can finally come out.
“We have long sought closure on this story and we believe that, this time, France’s commitment will be full, frank and collaborative,” he added.
“France must recognize that on that day, the confrontation between soldiers and riflemen who demanded their full legitimate wages be paid, triggered a chain of events that resulted in a massacre,” read Macron's letter.
“It is also important to establish, as far as possible, the causes and facts that led to this tragedy," Macron added. “I have asked my services to inform me of the progress of the work of the Committee for the Restoration of the Facts, which your government has decided to set up, under the direction of Professor Mamadou Diouf, whose eminence and qualities are recognized by all.”
The letter comes weeks after the Senegalese legislative elections, in which the ruling party PASTEF secured a definite majority. The win granted newly elected President Faye a clear mandate to carry out ambitious reforms promised during the campaign, which include more economic independence from foreign companies, including French ones, which are heavily invested in the country.
France still has around 350 troops in its former colony, mainly in a supportive role. Asked about the presence of French forces, Faye alluded that it would not be something the Senegalese would want.
“Historically, France enslaved, colonized and stayed here,” he said. "Obviously, I think that when you reverse the roles a little, you will have a hard time conceiving that another army, China, Russia, Senegal, or any other country could have a military base in France.”
Associated Press writer Babacar Dione in Dakar, Senegal, contributed to this report.
French President Emmanuel Macron delivers a statement as part of Nigerian President Bola Tinubu's two-day state visit to France, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024 at the Elysee Palace in Paris. (Sarah Meyssonnier/Pool via AP)
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NEW/DEVELOPING
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TEEN KILLED-STRAY BULLET; SUPER BOWL PERFORMERS; OBIT-MARY MCGEE; SAN JOSE STATE; TRUMP-TRANSITION-ATTACKS; DENTIST WIFE POISONED; SWITZERLAND-AI JESUS; ROMANIA-ELECTION; AUSTRALIA-SOCIAL MEDIA.
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TOP STORIES
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MIDEAST WARS-RETURNING HOME — Tens of thousands of residents who have started streaming back into southern Lebanon to check on their homes are finding that they have lost everything. Intense Israeli airstrikes over the past two months have leveled entire neighborhoods in eastern and southern Lebanon, and in the southern suburbs of Beirut, and nearly 1.2 million people have been displaced. Who will pay for the reconstruction is unclear. By Bassem Mroue. SENT: 1,100 words, photos. With MIDEAST WARS-LEBANON DESTRUCTION — Israeli airstrikes leave massive trail of destruction across Lebanon; MIDEAST WAR-LEBANON-SYRIA-RETURNEES — Thousands of displaced Lebanese return from Syria as ceasefire with Israel holds.
MIDEAST-WARS — Israel carried out its first airstrike on Lebanon since a truce with Hezbollah announced this week, saying it targeted the militant group’s activity at a rocket storage facility in southern Lebanon that breached the ceasefire. By Kareem Chehayeb and Julia Frankel. SENT: 1,130 words, photos, videos, audio. With MIDEAST-WARS PHOTO COLLECTION.
MEXICO-US-TARIFFS-PRODUCTS — Mexicans are worried that threats by Donald Trump to impose 25% tariffs could affect a wide range of iconic Mexican products and threaten entire regional economies. In western Mexico, no crop supplies an income for so many small growers as avocados. But avocado growers, pickers and packers worry that U.S. consumers, faced with 25% higher prices, may just skip the guacamole. By Armando Solís. SENT: 740 words, photos, video. With MEXICO-US TRUMP TARIFFS — Mexican president says she is confident that a tariff war with the U.S. can be averted.
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE-SAFEGUARDS — Under Donald Trump, the United States is about to transition from a government that was prioritizing artificial intelligence safeguards to one more focused on eliminating red tape. That’s creating uncertainty over whether there will be any guardrails on the technology, especially around the use of AI deepfakes in political campaigns. By Dan Merica and Ali Swenson. SENT: 1,100 words, photos.
RUSSIA-UKRAINE WAR — Russia conducted a “massive” attack against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, firing nearly 200 missiles and drones and leaving more than a million households without power, Ukrainian officials said. By Hanna Arhirova and Barry Hatton. SENT: 910 words, photos, audio. With BRITAIN-BULGARIA-SPYING — Trial of three Bulgarians accused of spying for Russia begins in London.
BLACK FRIDAY-PREVIEW — After weeks of plugging increasingly inviting discounts, retailers in the United States and several other countries are preparing for prime time: Black Friday, the bargain bonanza that still reigns as the unofficial kickoff of the holiday shopping season even if it’s lost some luster. By Retail Writer Anne D’Innocenzio. SENT: 1,050 words, photos, audio.
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SPOTLIGHTING VOICES
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TRUMP-LUMBEE TRIBE — The 55,000 members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina were an electoral prize courted by both presidential candidates in the swing state. Donald Trump promised federal recognition for the Lumbee, a designation that would mean access to federal dollars. He won the state, thanks in part to continued support from Lumbee voters. Now they want to know whether he’ll deliver on his promise. By Graham Lee Brewer. SENT: 800 words, photos.
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MORE NEWS
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THANKSGIVING-PARADE — The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade marched, soared and roared into its second century despite a drenching rain and a brief disruption from pro-Palestinian demonstrators. SENT: 530 words, photos, videos, audio.
SUPER BOWL PERFORMERS — Jon Batiste, Ledisi, Trombone Shorty and Lauren Daigle to perform during Super Bowl pregame. SENT: 330 words, photos.
SWIATEK-DOPING SUSPENSION — Five-time Grand Slam champion Iga Swiatek accepts a one-month suspension in doping case. SENT: 790 words, photos.
ALASKA-TURKEY BOMB — “It’s a bird! It’s a plane!” In Alaska, it’s both, with a pilot tossing turkeys to rural homes. SENT: 770 words, photo, video, audio.
OBIT-MARY MCGEE — Female racing pioneer “Motorcycle Mary” McGee dies a day before documentary on her is released. SENT: 520 words, photo.
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WASHINGTON/POLITICS
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TRUMP-TRANSITION-ATTACKS — At least four Democratic members of Congress from Connecticut were targeted by bomb threats on their homes, the lawmakers or their offices said. SENT: 440 words, photos.
SUPREME COURT-VAPING — The Biden administration wants the Supreme Court to uphold its crackdown on vapes after a spike in use of the sweet, flavored products by youths. Donald Trump has pledged to “save” vaping and his incoming team could take a different approach on e-cigarettes. SENT: 360 words, photo.
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NATIONAL
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VERMONT FLOODING-RECOVERY — A Vermont family who lost their home, cars, barn and most of their possessions in flooding in July will be getting a new start thanks to scores of donations to an online fundraising effort. SENT: 1,110 words, photos, video.
DENTIST WIFE POISONED — A dentist accused of killing his wife by poisoning her protein shakes has been charged with trying to get a fellow jail inmate to kill a detective investigating the murder case. SENT: 370 words.
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INTERNATIONAL
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AUSTRALIA-SOCIAL MEDIA — A social media ban for children under 16 passed the Australian Parliament in a world-first law. SENT: 830 words, photos, videos, audio.
GEORGIA-POLITICS — Georgia is suspending talks on its bid to join the European Union for four years, its prime minister said, in view of what he described as “blackmail and manipulation” from some of the bloc’s politicians. His announcement outraged the opposition and triggered a new wave of protests. SENT: 780 words, photos, video.
ROMANIA-ELECTION — A top Romanian court asked the official electoral authority to recount and verify all of the ballots cast in the first round of the presidential election, won by a far-right outsider candidate, sending shockwaves through the political establishment. SENT: 820 words, photos.
BOLIVIA-FUEL CRISIS — Across what was once South America’s second-largest producer of natural gas, everyone is searching for fuel. Bolivia’s fuel crunch follows a currency collapse that is increasingly disrupting economic activity and everyday life for millions of people, hurting commerce and farm production and sending food prices soaring. SENT: 930 words, photos.
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TECHNOLOGY
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SWITZERLAND-AI JESUS — An avatar of “Jesus” on a computer screen — tucked into a confessional at a Catholic chapel in Switzerland — took questions by visitors on faith, morality and modern-day woes, and offered responses based on Scripture. SENT: 1,110 words, photos, video, audio.
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HEALTH & SCIENCE
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FOSSIL FOOTPRINTS — Muddy footprints left on a Kenyan lakeside suggest two of our early human ancestors were nearby neighbors some 1.5 million years ago. By Science Writer Christina Larson. SENT: 460 words, photos.
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BE WELL
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BE WELL-WORKING WELL-POLITICAL DISAGREEMENTS — There’s no easy way to bridge the political divides that have created rifts in communities, families and friendships. But workplace morale and productivity can take a hit when ideological differences are left to fester, affecting teamwork and feelings of mutual respect. Finding a safe space to process emotions while remaining civil can be a delicate balancing act. By Business Writer Cathy Bussewitz. SENT: 1,030 words, photo.
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SPORTS
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DOLPHINS-PACKERS — Tua Tagovailoa and the Miami Dolphins seek to win their fourth straight and get their record to .500 as they visit the Green Bay Packers, who have won two straight and six of their last seven. By Sports Writer Steve Megargee. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Game starts at 8:20 p.m.
SAN JOSE STATE — San Jose State said it was disappointed Boise State forfeited its semifinal match in the Mountain West women’s volleyball tournament but that the Spartans were focused on the future. By Sports Writer Mark Anderson. SENT: 550 words, photos.
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A pedestrian walks by a store during a Thanksgiving Day snowstorm, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in Woodstock, Vt. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)
Items on sale for Black Friday are displayed at Macy's department store on Sunday, Nov. 24, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Anne D'Innocenzio)
A youth rides a horse as others bathe in a hot water pool coming from a drilling project which exposed a subterranean hydrothermal spring near Mount Bental in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights,, Thursday Nov 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
Handlers guide the SpongeBob SquarePants balloon down Sixth Avenue during the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)
Pakistan's Mohammad Rizwan plays a shot during the third ODI cricket match between Zimbabwe and Pakistan at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Wonder Mashura)
Southern California forward Kiki Iriafen, right, collides with Seton Hall forward Yaya Lops during the second half of an NCAA women's college basketball game in Palm Desert, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
A person inflates a float in preparation for the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in New York. (AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura)
Passengers carry their luggage to check-in at the Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B) at Los Angeles International Airport in Los Angeles, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)
Traffic builds as cars make their way along a highway the day before Thanksgiving, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)
Lebanese village of Meiss El-Jabal can be seen from across the border in north Israel, Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Ohad Zwigenberg)
A damaged vehicle seen in front of part of the Roman temples of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon, Thursday, Nov. 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Hassan Ammar)
Displaced residents return to Dahiyeh, in Beirut, Lebanon, following a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that went into effect on Wednesday, Nov. 27, 2024. (AP Photo/Bilal Hussein)
