Italy commemorates the 81st anniversary of the Ardeatine Caves massacre, one of the darkest chapters of World War II.

On March 24, 1944, Nazi forces executed 335 civilians in retaliation for a partisan attack in Rome that killed 32 German policemen.

The massacre, led by SS officer Herbert Kappler, filled the caves with the bodies of innocent victims, including a 12-year-old boy.

This year, President Sergio Mattarella and Speaker Lorenzo Fontana attended a solemn ceremony at the Mausoleum of the Ardeatine Caves to honor the victims.

The event serves as a stark reminder of the horrors of war and the importance of preserving historical memory.