Askari

Local soldier of a colonial army in Africa

2 min read

Why this is trending

Interest in “Askari” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-02-25.

Categorised under History, this article fits a familiar pattern. Historical topics gain renewed attention when tied to commemorations, documentaries, or current events that echo past episodes.

GlyphSignal tracks these patterns daily, turning raw Wikipedia traffic data into a curated feed of what the world is curious about. Every spike tells a story.

2026-01-27Peak: 3012026-02-25

30-day total: 7,050

Key Takeaways

An askari or ascari (from Somali, Swahili, and Arabic عسكري , ʿaskarī , meaning 'soldier' or 'military', also 'police' in Somali) was a local soldier serving in the armies of the European colonial powers in Africa, particularly in the African Great Lakes, Northeast Africa and Central Africa.
In French, the word is used only in reference to native troops outside the French colonial empire.
During the period of the European colonial empires in Africa, locally recruited soldiers designated as askaris were employed by the Italian, British, Portuguese, German and Belgian colonial armies.
During both World Wars, askari units also served outside their colonies of origin, in various parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Etymology Askari is a loan word from Persian عسكري ( 'ʿaskarī' ) 'soldier'.

An askari or ascari (from Somali, Swahili, and Arabic عسكري, ʿaskarī, meaning 'soldier' or 'military', also 'police' in Somali) was a local soldier serving in the armies of the European colonial powers in Africa, particularly in the African Great Lakes, Northeast Africa and Central Africa. The word is used in this sense in English, as well as in German, Italian, Urdu, and Portuguese. In French, the word is used only in reference to native troops outside the French colonial empire. The designation is still in occasional use today to informally describe police, gendarmerie and security guards.

During the period of the European colonial empires in Africa, locally recruited soldiers designated as askaris were employed by the Italian, British, Portuguese, German and Belgian colonial armies. They played a crucial role in the conquest of the various colonial possessions, and subsequently served as garrison and internal security forces. During both World Wars, askari units also served outside their colonies of origin, in various parts of Africa, the Middle East, and Asia. In South Africa the term refers to former members of the liberation movements who defected to the Apartheid government security forces.