Algeria: Dozens of protesters gather in Tamanrasset on June 17 /update 1

Event

Dozens of protesters gathered to march through the Tamanrasset city centre (Tamanrasset province) on Wednesday, June 17, to denounce the death of a young man who was killed in Tinzaouatine (Tamanrasset province) on Monday, June 15. According to media sources, Wednesday's protest saw demonstrators rallying outside the provincial headquarters during morning hours.

Further clashes and a heightened security presence in the area is to be expected in the near term.

Context

On June 15, clashes broke out between security forces and residents in Tinzaouatine (Tamanrasset province) who were protesting the closure of the country's border with Mali and resulting water shortages. In attempts to disperse the protesters, security forces opened fire on the crowd using rubber bullets and live fire, killing at least one person and wounding several others. The Algerian Ministry of Defense has denied that border police fired on the crowd, instead blaming the demonstration on known agitators. The ministry claimed that unidentified individuals opened fire on the police, hitting a protester in the process, who then died while receiving medical treatment.

Advice

Individuals in Tamanrasset are advised to monitor developments, avoid all protests and demonstrations as a precaution, and anticipate a heightened security presence and localized disruptions to business and transportation around protest sites.