Algeria holds state funeral for ex-president Bouteflika

ALGIERS, Algeria

A state funeral was held Sunday for former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who died on Friday aged 84.

Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, senior officials, and foreign diplomats attended the funeral in the capital Algiers.

Bouteflika was buried in the El-Alia cemetery east of Algiers where his predecessors and leaders of the Algerian revolution against the French colonial rule were buried.

On Saturday, Algeria announced three days of national mourning for Bouteflika's death.

Meanwhile, the Algerian Judiciary allowed his brother Said Bouteflika to attend the funeral. Said has been jailed since May 2019 on charges of corruption.

Having come to power in 1999 following the country’s civil war, Bouteflika ruled Algeria despite suffering from paralysis in 2015 amid his deteriorating health.

He ran for president for a fifth term in February 2019, which turned the final straw. The move triggered mass demonstrations in the country.

With the Algerian army announcing support to the growing protests, Bouteflika was forced to resign in April 2019.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar in Ankara