Over 180 people injured in Friday’s anti-Bouteflika protests

Reuters reported that a total of 183 people were injured during protests across Algeria on Friday against President Abdelaziz Bouteflika’s bid for a fifth term in office. These protests were considered the biggest so far.

Quoting the Algerian state news agency APS,  during the protests there was one death from a heart attack though the protests were mostly peaceful. There were some scuffles between police and protesters in the evening near the presidential place in the capital Algiers.

Algeria is seeing protests against Bouteflika’s bid on a regular basis in what ar being described as Algeria’s biggest anti-government rallies since the Arab Spring eight years ago.

Protesters want 82-year-old Bouteflika to abandon plans to seek re-election in an April presidential vote.

So far Bouteflika has not formally confirmed he will stand, although representatives have indicated he will do so.

Friday’s protests with indications being this will be done Sunday. Reports indicate that Bouteflika is currently under going unspecified medical treatment at the Geneva University Hospital in switzerland.

Via Reuters