Algeria marks 70 years since independence war began
Algeria marked 70 years since it began its war of independence with France on November 1st, as relations with Paris in the present sour, according to The New Arab and agencies.
Jets soared over the bay of Algiers as troops marched past the capital city’s largest Mosque in a ceremony that was attended by regional leaders including Tunisia’s Kais Saied, Mauritania’s Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani and the chairman of the Libyan Presidential Council Mohamed al-Menfi.
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The eight-year war for independence after over 100 years of French rule began on November 1st 1954, as National Liberation Front (FLN) members killed 10 in attacks on government buildings.
France figures put the wars death toll at half a million while Algeria claims it was 1.5 million, though both agree the vast majority of deaths were of Algerians. The war ended following the March 1962 Evian Accords.
Algerian relations with France are still strained to this day, with relations souring recently following France’s recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara, as reported by the Arab Weekly.
Algerian President Abdelmajid Tebounce said the anniversary was an “opportunity to remind everyone that Algeria, which triumphed over colonialism yesterday, continues to achieve victories with confidence”.
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Morocco was conspicuous by its absence at the ceremony, while Brahim Ghali, who leads the Polisario Front at war with Morocco over Western Sahara, was in attendance.
Algeria recently cut off relations with Morocco over its normalisation with Israel, as reported by Reuters, and recently re-introduced visa requirements on Moroccans.
The New Arab and agencies, the Arab Weekly, Reuters
