Algerians protest against terrorism after suicide attacks
ALGIERS: Tens of thousands of Algerians protested against terrorism on Sunday after two suicide bomb attacks in recent days claimed by an Al Qaeda offshoot killed at least 52 people.
Demonstrations were held in Algeria’s major cities, including the capital Algiers, where participants gathered in a sports arena, displaying banners saying “no to violence and crime”. Prime Minister Abdelaziz Belkhadem was among politicians attending the rally, where speakers denounced suicide attacks as “contrary to the values of Islam”. Messages of support poured in from around the world, led by UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon who said he was “deeply shocked and saddened by the escalation of terrorist violence in Algeria”. The latest attack occurred on Saturday when a blast ripped through a naval barracks in the port town of Dellys, 70 kilometres east of Algiers.Most of those killed were members of the coastguard, but the interior ministry said three civilians also died and many of the 47 wounded were also civilians.
On Thursday, 22 people were killed and more than 100 wounded when a man exploded a device in a crowd waiting to meet President Abdelaziz Bouteflika in the eastern city of Batna.
It was an apparent assassination attempt against the president but the attacker was reportedly discovered by the crowd and set off the bomb before Bouteflika arrived.
Political parties, unions and civil society groups called for Sunday’s protests with the theme: “No to terrorism. Stop instability. Don’t touch my Algeria.” Islamic militants from Al Qaeda’s self-styled offshoot in north Africa have claimed credit for other recent bombings.—AFP
ALGIERS: Tens of thousands of Algerians protested against terrorism on Sunday after two suicide bomb attacks in recent days claimed by an Al Qaeda offshoot killed at least 52 people.
