French journalist Jean-Michel Aphatie has announced his departure from RTL following a heated controversy over his comments comparing France's colonial actions in Algeria to Nazi crimes.
During a February broadcast, Aphatie stated that France had committed "hundreds of Oradour-sur-Glane" massacres in Algeria, referencing the 1944 Nazi atrocity in which 642 villagers were killed.
His remarks drew widespread criticism from political figures and prompted an investigation by France's media regulator, Arcom.
RTL initially suspended Aphatie, but he later decided not to return, citing his refusal to view his comments as a mistake.
Aphatie defended his statements as a call for historical reflection, while acknowledging the intense backlash they provoked.
The incident has reignited debates about France's colonial past and freedom of speech in media.
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