Algeria loses its balance under repeated terrorist strikes to the government
Algeria, Analysis, 9/27/1997

Algeria is passing through critical phase after the government failed to put an end to the terrorist crimes and the horrendous massacres which have occured every week over the last few months.

The last massacre occurred last Monday and Tuesday night when a group of young men entered the Bin Tomy Bin Talha district and moved from one street to another slaying women, children and elderly people and burning those houses whose owners refused to get out.

Despite people's phone calls to the government and the arrival of the army forces to the area after which there was an exchange of fire between these forces and the terrorists, who numbered about 50, the number of those murdered was 100 while 180 women, children, men and elderly people were hurt. Army forces found the bodies of murdered people beside burnt bodies in the hall of a school. The people found it difficult to identify the burnt bodies.

The district of Bin Tomy Bin Talha is one of the districts in which the terrorists are very active. They had kidnapped women from the houses of elderly people before.

The horrendous massacre came 24 hours after the televised speech of Prime Minister Ahmed Abu Yehia in which he confirmed that the terrorist actions are only remnants of terrorism.

The terrorists did not only commit these murders but they also exploded a bomb yesterday near the Elderly Home in the city of Talmesan in which 15 people were injured. They also killed 7 in the district of Tathmelimat on the Algerian-Moroccan borders.

The Algerian people are living amidst severe worry and fear because of the recent massacres while the government makes announcements and declarations that it will stop these massacres.

Algeria does not receive enough support from the international community or the super powers, on top of which are the USA, Britain, and France. The UN, the Organization of African Unity and the Arab League only condemn the massacres, none of them move to end this phenomenon which does not only threaten Algeria but could spread into neighboring countries.

Algeria witnessed on August 29 the biggest massacre in its six-year history of terrorism in which 300 people were killed. It shocked everybody, as it occurred near the capital in Sidi Rais.

Commentators expect that the situation in Algeria will deteriorate due to the success of the terrorists and the high number of their victims on the one hand, and due the government's failure and the people's slackness in cooperating with the army and police forces on the other hand.

Previous Stories:
  Algeria to hand over 21 Tunisians traveling to France with fake passports   (9/25/1997)
  Algerian group calls for cease-fire   (9/25/1997)
  A new massacre in Algeria - new hope for peace   (9/24/1997)

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