Algerian civilians and soldiers stand next to the rubble of a coastguard barracks, yesterday, after a booby-trapped car exploded in the northern coastal Algerian town of Dellys. The explosion killed at least 28 people and injured dozens more in the North African nation's second terror attack in less than 48 hours. - APALGIERS, Algeria (AP):
A booby-trapped car exploded outside coast-guard barracks in Algeria yesterday, killing at least 28 people in the North African nation's second terror attack in less than 48 hours, hospital authorities said.
The explosion ripped through the northern coastal town of Dellys, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Algiers, as the local coastguard was taking part in the morning flag-raising ceremony.
All the victims were coastguard officials, who are part of Algeria's armed forces, hospital officials said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they were not authorised to speak to media. The death toll rose steadily throughout the day as many victims died in the hospital of their injuries. Dozens more were injured.
A recent spate of major bombings in Algeria has generated fears of a return to the mass-scale violence of the 1990s, when Algeria's Islamic insurgency peaked. The country, a staunch U.S. ally in the war against terror, has been trying to turn the page on the 15-year insurgency that killed 200,000 people. Until recently, its efforts appeared mostly successful.
widespread speculation
The attack came just two days after another bombing killed at least 22 in a crowd of people in eastern Algeria who were waiting to see visiting President Abdelaziz Bouteflika, who has devoted his eight years in office to ending the insurgency.
There was widespread speculation that Bouteflika was the intended target of that attack, though Algerian officials kept silent on the question. Police said the bomber was killed by security services after he dropped the explosives and tried to escape.
There was no immediate claim of responsibility in either attack. However, an al-Qaida affiliate calling itself al-Qaida in Islamic North Africa has been active in Algeria lately. On Friday, Interior Minister Noureddine Yazid Zerhouni warned terrorists that they have "one choice: turn themselves in, or die."
Algeria's insurgency broke out in 1992, after the army cancelled legislative elections that a now-banned Islamic fundamentalist party was poised to win.
