Tunisia is celebrating, this Wednesday, October 15, 2025, the 62nd anniversary of the evacuation of Bizerte, marking the final departure of the last French soldier from the national territory in 1963. This symbolic date, inscribed in collective memory, marks the completion of the independence process and the full sovereignty of the Tunisian State.
Although Tunisia obtained its independence on March 20, 1956, French troops remained stationed in part of the territory, notably in the naval base of Bizerte, a strategic point for France in the Mediterranean basin.
The road to total liberation proved long and painful. On February 8, 1958, the bombing of the village of Sakiet Sidi Youssef by the French army, on the Tunisian-Algerian border, cost the lives of dozens of Tunisian and Algerian civilians. This tragedy deeply affected public opinion and pushed the Tunisian government to accelerate negotiations for the departure of foreign forces.
July 1961: the battle of Bizerte
The summer of 1961 will be remembered as one of the bloodiest episodes of the young Republic. From July 19 to 22, 1961, French forces confronted Tunisian volunteers mobilized around Bizerte. Despite the determination of the latter, French military superiority led to a tragic outcome, with a heavy toll in human losses, particularly among civilians.
A ceasefire was finally proclaimed on July 23, 1961, paving the way for an agreement between Tunis and Paris. Two years later, on October 15, 1963, France definitively evacuated the Bizerte naval base, thus turning a major page in Tunisian colonial history.
A date of sovereignty and memory
Every October 15, Tunisia pays tribute to the martyrs of Sakiet Sidi Youssef and the Battle of Bizerte, symbols of the fight for freedom and national dignity. The commemoration, celebrated throughout the country, recalls the historic significance of this peaceful conquest of sovereignty, at the crossroads of diplomacy and popular courage.
