2021 Algeria wildfires

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2021 Algeria wildfires
Algeria wildfires.jpg
Plumes of smoke over northern Algeria on August 11, 2021
LocationKabylia region, Algeria
Statistics
Date(s)August 2021
CauseOrganized arson[1]
Deaths90 (57 civilians and 33 soldiers)

The 2021 Algeria wildfires are multiple wildfires happening in Algeria since 9 August 2021, and have killed 90 people,[2] including 57 civilians and 33 soldiers. The soldiers died after being trapped in the blaze during rescue operations.[3][4][5][6]

On 9 August, many fires started up in the Kabylia region and elsewhere, and Algerian authorities sent soldiers to help citizens with the blazes and evacuations.

On 10 August, multiple fires have burned Mediterranean trees, destroying olive trees and killing cattle and chickens. Many distant villages have very limited water. Some villagers fled, while others tried to hold back the flames themselves, using buckets, branches and rudimentary tools, due to the unavailability of firefighting aircraft.

After 7 days following the appearance of the wildfires, Civil Protection units have successfully extinguished 41 forest fires in nine provinces in the past 24 hours,[7] and complete extinction of fires in Annaba was reported.[8]

On 17 August, all forest fires in Jijel and Sétif were extinguished.[9][10]

Casualties[]

A total of 610 km of electricity network and no less than 710 stations were destroyed by the fires that ravaged several municipalities in Tizi Ouzou, according to a report released during an inspection visit of the CEO of the Sonelgaz group, Chaher Boulkhras.[11] Some 5,193 hectares of fruit trees and 19,178 farm animals burned in the fires, according to a nondefinitive report from the Local Direction of Agricultural Services (DSA)[12] and a total of 1,705 homes burned were appraised by engineers from the Technical Construction Control body (CTC).[13]

Djamel Bensmail homicide[]

Djamel Bensmail, an artist and social activist from Miliana, was reported by the local media to be brutally killed days after the fires in Tizi Ouzou appeared, by a group of people that set him on fire. He was initially charged, baselessly, with incendiarism.

Later, a video showing the assault against Djamel Bensmail went viral online, showing his final minutes as he was burned alive and killed for his alleged role. However, social media users identified him as a prominent artist who was present in the area to help residents put out the fires.[citation needed]

In the video, Bensmail was pleading with the mob and repetitively insisting that he had no role in the wildfires that were spreading. Furthermore, several members of the group were shouting racist and insulting slang at the victim, such as sale arabe, which is French for dirty Arab. It is believed that several members of this mob appearing in the footage are affiliated with the MAK, an ethnopolitical organization that aims to split the ethnic Berber region of Kabyle from the rest of Algeria. The MAK is also accused by Algerian authorities as having separatist aims and an anti-Arab sentiment. Due to this, it is strongly believed that Bensmail was in fact guiltless.[citation needed]

The Director of the Judicial Police at the General Directorate of National Security (DGSN), Mohamed Chakour, affirmed the arrest of 36 defendants including 3 women, involved in the assassination and lynching of Bensmail in Larbaâ Nath Irathen in Tizi Ouzou.[14] On 17 August, The DGSN released a new video including the confessions of new suspects arrested in connection with the case.[15]

References[]

  1. ^ "Algeria arrests 22 suspected arsonists over deadly blazes". Al Jazeera. 13 August 2021.
  2. ^ "Algerian wildfires still raging, death toll hits 90 including 33 soldiers". Africa News. 15 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Algeria forest fires: At least 65 people killed as fires spread". BBC News. BBC News. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Incendi, 38 morti in Algeria". ansa.it. ansa.it. 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  5. ^ "At least 65 killed in Algerian wildfires". Reuters. 2021-08-11. Retrieved 2021-08-11.
  6. ^ "Incendi in Algeria, i morti aumentano a 65". ansa.it. ansa.it. 11 August 2021. Retrieved 11 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Extinction de 41 feux de forêts dans plusieurs wilayas". www.aps.dz (in French). 16 August 2021. Archived from the original on 16 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Extinction totale des incendies à d'Annaba". www.aps.dz (in French). 16 August 2021. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  9. ^ "Extinction de tous les incendies de forêt à Jijel". www.aps.dz (in French). 17 August 2021. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  10. ^ "Sétif: extinction totale de tous les incendies de forêts". www.aps.dz (in French). 17 August 2021. Archived from the original on 21 December 2021.
  11. ^ "Incendies de Tizi-Ouzou: plus de 600 km de réseau électrique détruits par les feux". www.aps.dz (in French). 19 August 2021. Archived from the original on 19 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Tizi-Ouzou/Incendies: plus de 5.100 ha d'arbres fruitiers et plus de 19.100 animaux d'élevage brulés". www.aps.dz (in French). 22 August 2021. Archived from the original on 15 December 2021.
  13. ^ "Incendies de Tizi-Ouzou: Plus de 1700 habitations brûlées expertisées par le CTC". www.aps.dz (in French). 1 September 2021. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021.
  14. ^ "Affaire de l'assassinat de Djamel Bensmail à Tizi Ouzou: arrestation de 36 mis en cause". www.aps.dz (in French). 15 August 2021. Archived from the original on 15 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Assassinat de Djamel Bensmail: nouveaux aveux d'autres mis en cause arrêtés". www.aps.dz (in French). 17 August 2021. Archived from the original on 17 August 2021.
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