The message is clear: the French military must, ultimately, leave Senegal. This is what the new president of Senegal Bassirou Diomaye Faye said in interviews given to Monde and to AFP, where he also announced that France had just recognized the Thiaroye massacre, via a letter sent to him by Emmanuel Macron.
In 1944, dozens of Senegalese riflemen were killed by the French army while demanding their pay. The Senegalese president said he was satisfied with this message: “He recognizes that it was a massacre very clearly, without ambiguity on the terms. »
“Why would we need French soldiers in Senegal? »
The Senegalese president was also questioned about the presence of French soldiers in Senegal. “How many Senegalese soldiers are there in France? Why are French soldiers needed in Senegal? », “Which country can have foreign soldiers on its soil and claim its independence? “, declared the head of state Monde. “Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country and sovereignty does not accommodate the presence of foreign military bases,” he told AFP.
No specific deadline
“We must not mistake an anomaly for normality,” he also declared, indicating that no deadline had yet been set but that “we must move towards this objective.” “We will do it with the necessary respect, without haste or any pressure. »
Chad, the last Sahelian country to host French forces, also announced Thursday evening that it was ending security and defense agreements with Paris, an announcement that came a few hours after a visit by the head of French diplomacy Jean-Noël Barrot.
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