Bastille Day parade: France's annual show of military might
France Bastille Day: 5,618 troops march on the Champs-Élysées
France
14/07/2025
Troops from all over the world parade alongside the French army on Bastille Day
France
14/07/2025
French military parades on national holiday after a ramp up in defence spendings
France
14/07/2025
France Bastille Day: Military troups start arriving at Place the la Concorde
France
14/07/2025
France Bastille Day: Indonesia opens military parade as the guest of honour
France
14/07/2025
Bastille Day: French-built rafale jets soar over Paris
France
14/07/2025
French national holiday: Emmanuel Macron rekindles flame of unknown soldier
France
14/07/2025
Bastille Day: What are the origins of the French national holiday?
France
14/07/2025
France: Crowds gather to witness spectacular military parade on national holiday
France
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France 24
2 hours ago
- France 24
French army to leave Senegal amid Africa downsizing
Ending the French army's 65 years in Senegal, the pull-out comes after similar withdrawals across the continent, with former colonies increasingly turning their backs on their former ruler. Around 350 French soldiers, primarily tasked with conducting joint operations with the Senegalese army, will leave the west African nation after a three-month departure process. France started ceding its bases to Senegal in March. After storming to victory in 2024 elections promising radical change, Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye demanded France withdraw troops from the country by 2025. Unlike the leaders of other former colonies such as junta-run Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, however, Faye has insisted that Senegal will keep working with Paris. In a ceremony in Dakar, France will return Camp Geille, its largest base in the country, and its airfield at Dakar airport. Senegal's Chief of General Staff, General Mbaye Cisse, and General Pascal Ianni, who commands France's troops in Africa, will attend. 'Sovereignty' After gaining independence in 1960, Senegal became one of France's staunchest African allies, playing host to French troops throughout its history. Faye's predecessor, Macky Sall, continued that tradition. Faye, who ran on a ticket promising a clean break with the Sall era, has said that Senegal would treat France like any other foreign partner. Pledging to make his country more self-sufficient, the president gave a deadline of the end of 2025 for all foreign armies to withdraw. "Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country and sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country," Faye said at the end of 2024, while maintaining that "France remains an important partner for Senegal". Faye has also urged Paris to apologise for colonial atrocities, including the massacre on December 1, 1944 of dozens of African troops who had fought for France in World War II. Continent-wide pull-out With governments across Africa increasingly questioning France's military presence, Paris has closed or reduced numbers at bases across its former empire. In February France handed back its sole remaining base in Ivory Coast, ending decades of French presence at the site. The month before, France turned over the Kossei base in Chad, its last military foothold in the unrest-hit Sahel region. Coups in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali between 2020 and 2023 have swept military strongmen to power. All have cut ties with France and turned to Russia instead for help in fighting the Sahel's decade-long jihadist insurgency. The Central African Republic, also a former French colony to which the Kremlin has sent mercenaries, has likewise demanded a French pull-out. Meanwhile the army has turned its base in Gabon into a camp shared with the central African nation. Only the tiny Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti will be home to a permanent French army base following Thursday's withdrawal.
France 24
3 hours ago
- France 24
France to hand over last military bases in Senegal, ending 65-year troop presence
France will on Thursday formally hand back its last military bases in Senegal, leaving the French army with no permanent camps in west and central Africa. Ending the French army's 65 years in Senegal, the pull-out comes after similar withdrawals across the continent, with former colonies increasingly turning their backs on their former ruler. Around 350 French soldiers, primarily tasked with conducting joint operations with the Senegalese army, will leave the west African nation after a three-month departure process. France started ceding its bases to Senegal in March. After storming to victory in 2024 elections promising radical change, Senegal's President Bassirou Diomaye Faye demanded France withdraw troops from the country by 2025. Unlike the leaders of other former colonies such as junta-run Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, however, Faye has insisted that Senegal will keep working with Paris. In a ceremony in Dakar, France will return Camp Geille, its largest base in the country, and its airfield at Dakar airport. Senegal's Chief of General Staff, General Mbaye Cisse, and General Pascal Ianni, who commands France's troops in Africa, will attend. 'Sovereignty' After gaining independence in 1960, Senegal became one of France's staunchest African allies, playing host to French troops throughout its history. Faye's predecessor, Macky Sall, continued that tradition. Faye, who ran on a ticket promising a clean break with the Sall era, has said that Senegal would treat France like any other foreign partner. Pledging to make his country more self-sufficient, the president gave a deadline of the end of 2025 for all foreign armies to withdraw. "Senegal is an independent country, it is a sovereign country and sovereignty does not accept the presence of military bases in a sovereign country," Faye said at the end of 2024, while maintaining that "France remains an important partner for Senegal". Faye has also urged Paris to apologise for colonial atrocities, including the massacre on December 1, 1944 of dozens of African troops who had fought for France in World War II. Continent-wide pull-out With governments across Africa increasingly questioning France's military presence, Paris has closed or reduced numbers at bases across its former empire. In February France handed back its sole remaining base in Ivory Coast, ending decades of French presence at the site. The month before, France turned over the Kossei base in Chad, its last military foothold in the unrest-hit Sahel region. Coups in Burkina Faso, Niger and Mali between 2020 and 2023 have swept military strongmen to power. All have cut ties with France and turned to Russia instead for help in fighting the Sahel's decade-long jihadist insurgency. The Central African Republic, also a former French colony to which the Kremlin has sent mercenaries, has likewise demanded a French pull-out. Meanwhile the army has turned its base in Gabon into a camp shared with the central African nation. Only the tiny Horn of Africa nation of Djibouti will be home to a permanent French army base following Thursday's withdrawal. France intends to make its base in Djibouti, with some 1,500 people, its military headquarters for Africa.
France 24
9 hours ago
- France 24
French town withdraws pop festival funding over Kneecap appearance
British police are investigating Kneecap's lead singer under a terror offence after he was accused of displaying a Hezbollah flag at a concert last year. The Lebanese militant group is banned in Britain. Police said they are also investigating videos allegedly showing calls for the death of British lawmakers. The Paris suburb of Saint Cloud approved a 40,000 euro ($46,500) subsidy this year for the Rock En Seine festival that last year attracted 180,000 people over four days. The town council said the money had been agreed before the lineup was announced. Kneecap are to appear at the event on August 24. Saint Cloud said its council had now voted to withdraw the subsidy. A statement said the town "finances, within its means, a cultural and artistic project. On the other hand it does not finance political action, nor demands, and even less calls to violence, such as calls to kill lawmakers, whatever their nationality." The town said it respects the festival's "freedom" to decide its lineup and had not sought "any kind of negotiation with the aim of influencing the programme". Kneecap have been taken off the bill for festivals in Scotland and Germany this year because of the controversy. The group have said they are commited to the Palestinian cause but have denied any terrorism connection. Singer Liam O'Hanna, who appears under the name Mo Chara, has condemned the charges against him as political. O'Hanna is to appear in court again four days before the Rock En Seine show.
