President Tebboune : “Algeria Will Never Forget May 1945 Massacres”

In a solemn message marking Algeria’s National Memory Day and the 81st anniversary of the May 8, 1945 massacres, Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune described the killings as one of the darkest crimes of colonialism in modern history.

Remembering the 45,000 Algerians killed in Sétif, Guelma, and Kherrata while demanding freedom, Tebboune said the massacres exposed the brutality behind the myth of “civilizing colonialism” and helped ignite the path toward Algeria’s War of Independence.

The president stressed that preserving historical memory remains a national responsibility, announcing new initiatives including national forums on history and memory, as well as preparations for a law dedicated to protecting Algeria’s national memory and honoring the victims of the May 1945 massacres and all martyrs of the nation.