Riots Algeria

Appealing for calm even as the staccato of sporadic gunfire echoed in the background, President Chadli Bendjedid promised Algerians on Monday that he will introduce major political reforms in the wake of the worst riots in Algeria since its war of independence ended 26 years ago. "I appeal to citizens everywhere.

The government has banned all demonstrations in the capital, Algiers, following fierce rioting last week during a massive pro-democracy demonstration. For two months, the military-backed government has been grappling with violent protests that have left at least 55 people dead. The unrest began among ethnic Berbers in the eastern Kabyle region but has spread to Algiers. Three police officers were reported killed and dozens of people hurt Monday during riots in Kabyle.

Police fired water cannons and tear gas at rioters Thursday as hundreds of thousands of protesters marched on Algeria's presidential palace demanding greater democracy and denouncing unrest. Two people were killed and more than 400 were injured in the turmoil.

Police fired water cannons and tear gas at rioters Thursday as hundreds of thousands of protesters marched on Algeria's presidential palace demanding greater democracy and denouncing unrest. Two people were killed and more than 400 were injured in the turmoil.

Violence swept through the capital and other Algerian cities in a defiant challenge by Muslim fundamentalists to hundreds of troops and riot police. Nine more people were reported killed and 55 wounded. One of the deaths occurred in Batna, where at least 12 were killed and 66 wounded in three days of running battles. Gunfire echoed throughout Algiers, continuing late into the night.

Muslim fundamentalists said Saturday that five people had died in bloody clashes with police at prayer services a day earlier, the deadliest unrest since the military took power. The Islamic Salvation Front said in a communique that clashes broke out between citizens and security forces in 12 of Algeria's 48 states Friday, the Muslim holy day. At least five people were killed--including two infants asphyxiated by tear gas--the Salvation Front said, and 109 were arrested.

Algerian President Chadli Bendjedid ordered the release of about 500 youths arrested last week in rioting over the worsening economy. He also suspended all hearings before the special courts set up to try the youths, most of whom were arrested for looting and acts of vandalism during the unrest that began Oct. 4. In addition, the government ordered the release of all those imprisoned during the unrest who were not directly involved in the revolt and those "arrested for crimes of opinion."

Tanks and troops headed toward the Islamic stronghold of Bab el Oued in Algiers late Tuesday after a day of violent clashes between fundamentalists and security forces that were sparked by the removal of Islamic symbols from public buildings. Hundreds of fundamentalists, eyes streaming from tear gas, battled with security forces for more than five hours in the most serious clashes since a state of siege was imposed three weeks ago.

Islamic fundamentalists killed eight police officers Monday--six of them in an ambush in the Casbah, the ancient quarter of the capital that was a haven for Algerian revolutionaries in past decades. The assaults on police were the most deadly since the military took power a month ago and indicated a hardening of the fundamentalists' response to an escalating government crackdown. In the latest violence, police said, six officers died when their cars were riddled with gunfire near a mosque.

Police shot dead at least 16 civilians as riots raged on in Berber-speaking areas of eastern Algeria, medical sources said, bringing the civilian death toll after almost a week of violence between Berber demonstrators and security forces to at least 31. Hospital officials in Tizi Ouzou, 55 miles east of Algiers, said that 14 people were killed and 34 wounded in clashes there, most by gunfire. In Bejaia, farther east, a hospital official said two people were killed.

Rioters stoned police and stormed government buildings in the east after tens of thousands of people attended the burial of a slain singer who had defended the minority Berber culture. Police responded with gunfire, killing at least one person, as rioting over Thursday's slaying of Lounes Matoub, 42, continued, witnesses and officials said. Matoub was the latest Algerian artist to be killed during a six-year Muslim insurgency that has claimed more than 75,000 lives.

Hundreds rioted in eastern Algeria on Friday, smashing windows and windshields in anger at the killing of a popular Berber singer who had criticized both the government and the nation's Muslim insurgency. The Thursday shooting of Lounes Matoub sparked an outpouring of emotion among young people in Tizi Ouzou, the regional capital of Algeria's Berber people.

Islamic fundamentalists killed eight police officers Monday--six of them in an ambush in the Casbah, the ancient quarter of the capital that was a haven for Algerian revolutionaries in past decades. The assaults on police were the most deadly since the military took power a month ago and indicated a hardening of the fundamentalists' response to an escalating government crackdown. In the latest violence, police said, six officers died when their cars were riddled with gunfire near a mosque.

After a weekend of worsening violence that has left up to 40 people dead, Algeria's military-backed government Sunday declared a 12-month state of emergency and moved to ban the Islamic fundamentalist political party.

Violence swept through the capital and other Algerian cities in a defiant challenge by Muslim fundamentalists to hundreds of troops and riot police. Nine more people were reported killed and 55 wounded. One of the deaths occurred in Batna, where at least 12 were killed and 66 wounded in three days of running battles. Gunfire echoed throughout Algiers, continuing late into the night.

Muslim fundamentalists said Saturday that five people had died in bloody clashes with police at prayer services a day earlier, the deadliest unrest since the military took power. The Islamic Salvation Front said in a communique that clashes broke out between citizens and security forces in 12 of Algeria's 48 states Friday, the Muslim holy day. At least five people were killed--including two infants asphyxiated by tear gas--the Salvation Front said, and 109 were arrested.

Tanks and troops headed toward the Islamic stronghold of Bab el Oued in Algiers late Tuesday after a day of violent clashes between fundamentalists and security forces that were sparked by the removal of Islamic symbols from public buildings. Hundreds of fundamentalists, eyes streaming from tear gas, battled with security forces for more than five hours in the most serious clashes since a state of siege was imposed three weeks ago.