Tunis, Oct. 15 — President of the Republic Kaïs Saïed chaired Tuesday in Bizerte an official ceremony to commemorate the 61st anniversary of Evacuation.

Upon arrival, the Head of the State saluted the flag as the national anthem was performed and reviewed a detachment of the three armies paying him honours.

He then laid a wreath at the foot of the martyrs' memorial and recited the Fatiha in their memory.

The Head of State met with senior military officials and veterans.

"Tunisia will remain independent for ever. Each parcel of the national territory will always be under the full sovereignty of Tunisia, " he said.

"We will always remember martyrs and we will never forget the slaughter perpetrated in July 1961 in which thousands of unarmed Tunisians fell as martyrs," the President highlighted.

The ceremony was attended by National Defence Minister Khaled S'hili, senior military officials, veterans, the governor of Bizerte, the secretary general in charge of management in the municipality of Bizerte Imen Zouaoui.

The President of the Republic met, following the ceremony, with locals in Dh'har El Kodia before walking through Mohamed Béjaoui Square while passing through January 13 Square and the old port where he talked to local people and listened to their concerns.

Evacuation Day (October 15, 1963) marks the departure of the last French soldier from the national territory.