At least 20 were killed and over 100 wounded when al-Qaeda terrorists tried to kill President Abdelaziz Bouteflika of Algeria. A crowd was awaiting his arrival when the bombs exploded. The president has been working on a reconciliation program to end the 15 year Islamic rebellion against his government. A group identified as Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb took responsibility for the attack.

Algeria has been engaged for nearly two decades in a civil war led by Islamic elements after secular leaders voided Muslim electoral gains. Hopefully, Bouteflika can obtain peace by conciliation.