Algeria criticizes statements by Iranian meddling in its affairs

A spokesperson from the Algerian Foreign Ministry described the statements of the mentor of the Iranian Revolution, Ayatollah Seyed-Ali Khamenei holding the Algerian authorities responsible for the Algerian massacres as rousing scorn and resentment.

He added that the Algerian people are aware of Iran's involvement in training and financing the armed groups and that everybody knows who commits those massacres. He said the Iranian regime is trying to acquit itself of responsibility.

A report issued by the U.S. State Department said 170,000 Algerians have been killed in the massacres and explosions witnessed in Algeria since 1992, including 7,000 deaths last year.

Those numbers stand in sharp contrast to official Algerian tallies which say that 47,000 Algerians have been killed or wounded in the attacks.