| Submit your comments on this article |
| Africa: North |
| More than 150,000 Algerians killed by GIA, GSPC |
| 2005-02-25 |
| Algeria's President Abdelaziz Bouteflika acknowledged for the first time on Wednesday that 150,000 people have died in more than a decade of an Islamic holy war or "jihad". "The number of victims has reached 150,000 and the destruction has reached $30 billion," Bouteflika said in a speech. He did not provide further details. Until now authorities maintained that 100,000 people died in the violence since 1992, although human rights groups have long said the figure exceeded 150,000. Militants unleashed a "jihad" after the powerful army cancelled legislative elections that the hardline Islamic Salvation Front (FIS) looked set to win in 1992. Authorities feared an Iranian-style revolution if they let the now-banned FIS take power. Bouteflika is calling for an amnesty to end the long-running conflict, which almost destroyed the oil-rich North African country in the 1990s. "Algerian people need to be able to accept a general amnesty. I need your support," he said. The amnesty, which is expected to be put to a referendum later this year, is expected to include rebels and security forces but no details have yet been given. The authorities say there are between 300 to 500 rebels still active, most belonging to the al Qaeda-aligned Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat (GSPC). Security experts say the figure could be as high as 1,000. |
| Posted by:Dan Darling |