Archaeologists Unearth Evidence of 1944 French Colonial Massacre in Senegal

By Staff, Agencies

Archaeologists in Senegal have uncovered new evidence confirming a French colonial massacre of West African soldiers in 1944, as part of a state-backed effort to establish the truth behind one of the darkest chapters of France’s colonial history.

Excavations at the Thiaroye military cemetery, near Dakar, aim to identify the remains of soldiers executed by French troops on December 1, 1944, after they protested unpaid wages and discriminatory treatment upon returning from German captivity.

French forces opened fire on the unarmed men, though the true death toll remains disputed.

Colonial-era records reported 70 fatalities, but Senegalese researchers estimate between 300 and 400 were killed.

During a recent visit, AFP reporters observed exposed graves, burial containers, and ongoing digs around the 1926 colonial-era cemetery.

Archaeologists have exhumed seven of 34 targeted graves, uncovering complete and partial skeletons—one with a bullet near the heart and others showing signs of severe trauma, including missing bones and iron chains around their legs.

“This means they suffered violence,” said lead archaeologist Moustapha Sall. “One hypothesis is that the graves were later manipulated to make it seem as though they had been properly buried.”

The findings could provide long-sought forensic evidence in a massacre long denied or downplayed by French authorities, deepening calls for acknowledgment and reparations.