Askari is an Arabic word meaning "soldier" (Arabic: عسكري ‘askarī). It was normally used to describe local troops in East Africa, Northeast Africa, and Central Africa serving in the armies of European colonial powers. The designation can, however, also describe police, gendarmerie and security guards. The word has since been adopted in Amharic, Bosnian, Italian, Persian, Polish, Somali, Swahili, Turkish and Urdu.
During the period of European colonial empires in Africa, locally recruited soldiers were employed by 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 served outside their colonies of origin, in various parts of Africa, the Middle East and Asia.
Read more about Askari: Belgian Colonies, British Colonies, German Colonies, Nazi Germany, Italian Colonies, Spanish Colonies, Portuguese Colonies, Post 2003 Iraq War, Other Uses, Askaris in Popular Culture