Algeria Headlines

Algeria: Army Chief presses for elections to be held before year’s end

Head of the Algerian army has called on electoral commission to hold presidential elections before end of the year as the country drags into political instability since the fall of former leader Abdelaziz Bouteflika forced to step down early April. Lieutenant General Ahmed Gaid Salah, according to state television, urged the electoral body to “issue […]

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Sahel-Sahara: Turkish Writer Sheds Light on Polisario’s Ties to Regional Terrorism

Turkish writer Mohamed Kaddo Afendi Oglu, an expert in Arab-Turkish relations, has confirmed the connections of the Polisario with terror networks threatening the Sahara-Sahel region’s peace and stability.   The Turkish writer reached the same conclusion as many pundits and as the Wall Street Journal, which has sounded lately the alarm bell against the dangers […]

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Algeria: Head of internal security sacked in wake of deadly stampede

Algeria’s interim President Abdelkader Bensalah has replaced head of internal security, Abdelkader Kara Bouhadba, after five people died Thursday in a stampede, at a rap concert, in capital Algiers. The head of the DGSN Bouhadba held the position for few months only as he was appointed in February. His removal is part of few unprecedented […]

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Algerian culture minister resigns after five died at concert

Algeria’s culture minister Meriem Merdaci announced her resignation following a deadly stampede at a concert in Algiers in which five people died and dozens were injured.   The resignation was accepted by Algeria’s interim president Abdelkader Bensalah after the accident that highlights Algeria’s lack of experience in smoothly managing crowds.   An investigation has been […]

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Algeria recalls ambassador Dembri; Appoints new Ambassador to Rabat

Algerian ambassador to Morocco, Mohamed Salah Dembri, who had been positioned in Rabat since 2009, had been recalled this Thursday (Aug.22) and replaced the same day by Abdelaziz Benali Chérif.   Benali Chérif served as ambassador to several countries and also as the spokesperson for the Algerian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition to Dembri, […]

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Algeria: HRW’s head of communication arrested, kicked out

The head of communication of the US-based Human Rights Watch was expulsed out of Algeria Sunday after his detention early this month. Sidi M’Hamed court in Algiers charged the Moroccan journalist Ahmed Réda Benchemsi for entering the country illegally in view of rolling a foreign agenda. Benchemsi was arrested August 9 on the sidelines of […]

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NGOs, Politicians denounce Polisario’s arbitrary detention of Sahrawi activists

Several NGOs and politicians have joined the families of the three Sahrawi activists arbitrarily detained by the Polisario since last June.   In this connection, the Sahrawi Khat Shahid movement “the Line of the Martyr” addressed a letter to the United Nations, urging the world body to intervene to end Polisario’s violations and arbitrary detention […]

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Algeria’s political crisis bodes ill for economy

The power grab by the military after the departure of long-ruling Abdelaziz Bouteflika has aborted hopes for a transition to a civilian government, hijacking Algerians’ ambitions to a democratic state and compromising prospects for economic development amid worrisome economic indicators. Army, a kingmaker The army’s pull back from politics during the era of Bouteflika after […]

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Algerian, Moroccan pilgrims take swipe at hosting conditions in Mecca

Several pilgrims from Morocco and neighboring Algeria have voiced their concerns about accommodation and food at their various hotels as they embark on the annual religious ritual of Hajj in the holy city of Mecca. Algerian pilgrims from the city of Oran, Huffpost Maghreb reports, demanded the organizing committee of the gigantic religious event to […]

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Morocco to compensate civilians kidnapped by Polisario separatists

Morocco’s national human rights council (CNDH) will pay compensation to dozens civilians who were kidnapped by the polisario separatists militias. Many Moroccans endured violations by the Polisario, which, with consent and support from Algeria, conducted hit and run tactics against Morocco and kidnaped, burned down and looted villagers on the border. The victims were identified […]