Algiers – On Friday, French President Emmanuel Macron formally acknowledged that Algerian revolutionary leader Larbi Ben M’hidi was killed by French soldiers, contradicting the longstanding official narrative that he had committed suicide in prison.
In a statement from the French presidency, quoted by Le Monde, Macron recognized that “Larbi Ben M’hidi, a national hero for Algeria and one of the six leaders of the National Liberation Front who initiated the November 1, 1954 Revolution, was killed by French soldiers under the command of General Paul Aussaresses.”
For decades, France’s official account maintained that Ben M’hidi had taken his own life while in custody. However, General Aussaresses, who directed this operation, admitted in his controversial memoirs published in the early 2000s that he had indeed ordered Ben M’hidi’s assassination.
This acknowledgment comes on the 70th anniversary of the beginning of Algeria’s liberation struggle (1954–1962), marking a significant moment in France’s engagement with its colonial past and Algeria’s enduring fight for recognition of its martyrs.
For further updates on Algerian history and Franco-Algerian relations, visit DZWATCH.DZ.
Author: nor-eleslam
France admits, Larbi Ben M’hidi assassination, Emmanuel Macron, Algerian liberation, National Liberation Front
