Chadli Bendjedid

Algerian President Chadli Bendjedid resigned Saturday, and army vehicles began moving into the streets of the capital days before Islamic fundamentalists appeared certain to sweep national runoff elections and lay the groundwork for the Muslim world's first elected Islamic republic. As small groups of shouting fundamentalists began moving toward Algiers' main square Saturday evening, truckloads of army troops took up positions around government ministry buildings and along main boulevards.

Algeria's military-backed government Sunday abruptly canceled coming national elections, plunging the nation into further uncertainty and setting the stage for a possible confrontation with Islamic fundamentalists, who had been poised to take control of the National Assembly.

Amid reports that the government is preparing to impose a state of emergency, Islamic fundamentalists raised the stakes in the battle for control of Algeria on Monday by urging their militants to "prepare for all eventualities to save the country."

Government forces and Muslim fundamentalists settled into an uneasy standoff Tuesday as a new five-member council of state was appointed to fill the void left by President Chadli Bendjedid's resignation over the weekend. Islamic leaders warned their militants against taking any action that would provoke a crackdown as machine gun-equipped government troops moved into Algeria's main intersections and roads leading into the city. "Each hopes the other will make the first move.

In the first outbreaks of violence since the military derailed a Muslim fundamentalist victory at the polls last week, a soldier was killed and two others wounded in an attack on a police checkpoint south of the Algerian capital, authorities reported Sunday. In a separate incident, a homemade bomb was hurled Saturday night at the national militia headquarters in Algiers, and fundamentalist leaders warned that it may be difficult to contain further explosions of violence.

President Chadli Bendjedid on Saturday fired Prime Minister Kasdi Merbah and replaced him with a reformer to speed up the transition to multi-party democracy in Algeria. Bendjedid named Mouloud Hamrouche, 47, as prime minister and urged him to "lead to their conclusion, in a resolute fashion, the economic, political and social reforms."

Until recently, no one would have thought it possible. But a combination of economic necessity and deft diplomacy is slowly beginning to forge what ideology alone has never been able to achieve in this politically fissured part of the world--a measure of unity among the five countries that make up the northern area of Africa known as the Maghreb. A plague of locusts has been a big help, giving Morocco and Algeria, long the region's two biggest rivals, an urgent reason to cooperate.

Algerian President Chadli Bendjedid promised that political reforms will be introduced soon but said a multi-party political system in the rigidly controlled North African nation is "not presently possible." Bendjedid made his remarks to delegates to the sixth congress of the ruling National Liberation Front. Delegates are expected to approve reforms proposed by Bendjedid after violent anti-government riots in October left scores dead.

Algeria's ruling National Liberation Front reelected President Chadli Bendjedid as party leader and chose a new Central Committee to help him achieve political reform. As secretary general of Algeria's only party, Bendjedid becomes the sole candidate in a presidential election that the party congress set for Dec. 22; he will seek a third five-year term.

In the first outbreaks of violence since the military derailed a Muslim fundamentalist victory at the polls last week, a soldier was killed and two others wounded in an attack on a police checkpoint south of the Algerian capital, authorities reported Sunday. In a separate incident, a homemade bomb was hurled Saturday night at the national militia headquarters in Algiers, and fundamentalist leaders warned that it may be difficult to contain further explosions of violence.

Government forces and Muslim fundamentalists settled into an uneasy standoff Tuesday as a new five-member council of state was appointed to fill the void left by President Chadli Bendjedid's resignation over the weekend. Islamic leaders warned their militants against taking any action that would provoke a crackdown as machine gun-equipped government troops moved into Algeria's main intersections and roads leading into the city. "Each hopes the other will make the first move.

Amid reports that the government is preparing to impose a state of emergency, Islamic fundamentalists raised the stakes in the battle for control of Algeria on Monday by urging their militants to "prepare for all eventualities to save the country."

Algeria's military-backed government Sunday abruptly canceled coming national elections, plunging the nation into further uncertainty and setting the stage for a possible confrontation with Islamic fundamentalists, who had been poised to take control of the National Assembly.

Algerian President Chadli Bendjedid resigned Saturday, and army vehicles began moving into the streets of the capital days before Islamic fundamentalists appeared certain to sweep national runoff elections and lay the groundwork for the Muslim world's first elected Islamic republic. As small groups of shouting fundamentalists began moving toward Algiers' main square Saturday evening, truckloads of army troops took up positions around government ministry buildings and along main boulevards.

President Chadli Bendjedid on Saturday fired Prime Minister Kasdi Merbah and replaced him with a reformer to speed up the transition to multi-party democracy in Algeria. Bendjedid named Mouloud Hamrouche, 47, as prime minister and urged him to "lead to their conclusion, in a resolute fashion, the economic, political and social reforms."

Algeria's ruling National Liberation Front reelected President Chadli Bendjedid as party leader and chose a new Central Committee to help him achieve political reform. As secretary general of Algeria's only party, Bendjedid becomes the sole candidate in a presidential election that the party congress set for Dec. 22; he will seek a third five-year term.

Algerian President Chadli Bendjedid promised that political reforms will be introduced soon but said a multi-party political system in the rigidly controlled North African nation is "not presently possible." Bendjedid made his remarks to delegates to the sixth congress of the ruling National Liberation Front. Delegates are expected to approve reforms proposed by Bendjedid after violent anti-government riots in October left scores dead.

Until recently, no one would have thought it possible. But a combination of economic necessity and deft diplomacy is slowly beginning to forge what ideology alone has never been able to achieve in this politically fissured part of the world--a measure of unity among the five countries that make up the northern area of Africa known as the Maghreb. A plague of locusts has been a big help, giving Morocco and Algeria, long the region's two biggest rivals, an urgent reason to cooperate.