On this day October 17, 1961

In Paris, the French police under the Prefect of Police Maurice Papon attacked a peaceful but illegal demonstration of some 30,000 who were protesting the Algerian War, killing anywhere between 40 and 200 people.

After 37 years of denial, the French government acknowledged 40 deaths in 1998, although there are estimates of up to 200.

The same year  Maurice Papon was personally awarded by French President Charles de Gaulle of the Legion of Honour.

On this day July 24, 1977

The Libyan–Egyptian War, a short border war between Libya and Egypt over political conflicts, ended after the combatants agreed to a ceasefire organized by Algeria.

Mediation by Algeria and Palestine Liberation Organization leader Yassir Arafat finally led to a ceasefire. Egyptian President Sadat gave his forces instructions to stop all attacks on 24 July 1977 and agreed upon an armistice.

Even after the fighting ended, the rift between Arab states remained, however. Many conservative Arab countries had sympathy for Egypt and Sadat, while the so-called social revolutionary–progressive Arab states endorsed Libya and Gaddafi. An editorial in The New York Times summed up an American perspective of the war by quoting a Palestinian: “If the Arabs haven’t got Israel to fight, they will be fighting each other.”

Algerians paramilitary police die in an ambush

Local media stated on Thursday that at least 21 Algerian paramilitary police had been killed after an ambush on their convoy en rout to their barracks at Bordj Bou Arreridj located southeast of Algeria’s capital of Algiers, when it was attacked late Wednesday.

Militants detonated no less than two roadside bombs to block the convoy, consisting of six vehicles. They then opened fire on the police before stealing their uniforms, weapons and vehicles. The militants, as part of Al-Qaeda’s network, are referred to as al-Qaida in the Islamic Maghreb, (AQIM).

On this day June 14, 1830

34,000 French soldiers land 27 kilometers west of Algiers, at Sidi Ferruch starting the French colonization of Algeria

To face the French, the dey sent 7,000 janissaries, 19,000 troops from the beys of Constantine and Oran, and about 17,000 Kabyles. The French established a strong beachhead and pushed toward Algiers, thanks in part to superior artillery and better organization.

The French troops took the advantage on 19 June during the battle of Staouéli, and entered in Algiers on 5 July 1830, after a three-week campaign. The Dey Hussein accepted capitulation in exchange of his freedom and the offer to retain possession of his personal wealth.

Landslide win for Algeria leader

According to official results, Abedelaziz Bouteflika, the 72-year-old president of Algeria, has been reelected to a third term as the country’s leader in a landslide.

Abdelaziz Bouteflika

Yazid Zerhouni, the Algerian Interior Minister, stated that Bouteflika obtained 90.24% of the vote in the election, which was held on Thursday.

Voter turnout was 74%, with some of the opposition parties boycotting the election amidst allegations of election fraud.

Zerhouni said at a news conference that the voter turnout was “exceptional”, but insisted that the figures had not been manipulated, saying that anyone with evidence of fraud should take it to election officials.

Bouteflika’s critics assert that the victory was a foregone conclusion — his opponents were not well known, and his campaign was well-funded.

Largest cut in OPEC’s history

The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has drastically cut the daily production of oil by 2.2 million barrels per day (bpd). In a decision reached in Oran, Algeria, energy ministers from all 12 OPEC members agreed to make the largest cut in OPEC’s history.

Oil prices have fallen from a high of $140 in July to just around $40; a decrease of $100. OPEC has cut 4.2 million bpd since September, when the price of oil decreased suddenly over fears of a global recession and lower usage of oil.

With this new decrease, production by OPEC members will be 24.845 million bpd. Saudi Arabia is taking the majority of the cut by decreasing their production by 1.2 bpd.

Suicide bombing in Algeria

Last night a suicide bomber killed 8 people and wounded 19 others according to Algerian public radio.

A van full of explosives was driven near a police building building and detonated. The bombing happened at a beach called Zemmouri el-Bahri. A police officer reportedly fired at the vehicle causing it to explode prior to impact with the building.

According to Yazid Zerhouni, the Minister of the Interior of Algeria stated that attacks happened around 10:00pm (GMT).

Press TV stated that Al-Qaeda’s wing in North Africa claimed responsibility. The same wing of Al-Qaeda also claimed responsibility for another suicide car bombing that occurred on August 3, killing or injuring 20 people.

On this day July 27, 1997

The Si Zerrouk massacre took place in the Si Zerrouk neighborhood in the south of El Arba (الأربعاء ) in Algeria on 27 July 1997. About 50 people were killed.

In 1997, Algeria was at the peak of a brutal civil conflict that had begun after the military’s cancellation of 1992 elections set to be won by the Islamic Salvation Front (FIS). Two major Islamist guerrilla groups, Armed Islamic Group (GIA) and AIS, and several minor ones, were fighting the government. Larbaa was a major center for the FIS’s armed wing, the Islamic Salvation Army (AIS), which the GIA had recently declared war on; Mustapha Kartali, a former GIA chief who had split from him in 1995 and become head of the AIS’s Katibat Errahamane brigade, was based in the area.