Many

massacre A massacre is the killing of a large number of people or animals, especially those who are not involved in any fighting or have no way of defending themselves. A massacre is generally considered to be morally unacceptable, especially when per ...

s were committed during the

Algerian Civil War The Algerian Civil War ( ar, rtl=yes, الْحَرْبُ الْأَهْلِيَّةُ الجَزَائِرِيَّةُ, al-Ḥarb al-ʾAhlīyah al-Jazāʾirīyah) was a civil war in Algeria fought between the Algerian government and various I ...

that began in 1991. The

Armed Islamic Group The Armed Islamic Group (GIA, from french: Groupe Islamique Armé; ar, الجماعة الإسلامية المسلّحة, al-Jamāʿa l-ʾIslāmiyya l-Musallaḥa) was one of the two main Islamist insurgent groups that fought the Algerian gover ...

(GIA) claimed responsibility for many of them, while for others no group has claimed responsibility. In addition to generating a widespread sense of fear, the massacres effected migration from and depopulation of the worst-affected areas. The number of massacres peaked in 1997, with a smaller peak in 1994, and they were particularly concentrated in the areas between

Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques d ...

and

Oran Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...

, with very few occurring in the east or in the

Sahara , photo = Sahara real color.jpg , photo_caption = The Sahara taken by Apollo 17 astronauts, 1972 , map = , map_image = , location = , country = , country1 = , ...

. This list is not exhaustive and covers only events in which over 50 civilians or prisoners were killed; with the number of smaller massacres being far more numerous. Sources frequently disagree on the number of deaths.

Wilaya of
Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques d ...

* Serkadji prison mutiny of 21 February 1995, 109 deaths *

Beni-Messous massacre The Beni Messous massacre took place on the night of September 5, 1997, in Sidi Youssef, an outlying neighborhood of the town of Beni Messous. At least 84 people were killed. Background In 1997, Algeria was at the peak of a brutal civil confli ...

of 5–6 September 1997, 87-151 deaths *

Bentalha massacre At the village of Bentalha ( ar, بن طلحة), south of Algiers, on the night of 22–23 September 1997, more than 200 villagers (according to Amnesty International) were killed by armed guerrillas. The number of deaths reported ranged fro ...

of 22 September 1997, 202-300 deaths

Wilaya of Ain-Defla

* Ain-Defla massacre of March 1994, 80 deaths *

Oued El-Had and Mezouara massacre The Oued El-Had and Mezouara massacre took place on 3 August 1997 in two villages near Arib in the ''wilaya'' of Ain Defla, Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , ...

of 3 August 1997, 76 deaths

Wilaya of Batna

* Batna-Msila Road massacre of 17 August 1996, 63 deaths

Wilayas of Bouira and
Blida Blida ( ar, البليدة; Tamazight: Leblida) is a city in Algeria. It is the capital of Blida Province, and it is located about 45 km south-west of Algiers, the national capital. The name ''Blida'', i.e. ''bulaydah'', is a diminutive ...

* Blida massacre of March 1994, 82 deaths *

Haouch Khemisti massacre The Haouch Khemisti massacre took place before dawn on April 22, 1997 in the Algerian village of Haouch Mokhfi Khemisti (also spelled Boughelef Khemisti, Haouch Boughlef-Khemisti, Haouch Boukhelef-Khemisti, Haouch Boughfi el-Khemisti, Haouch Bough ...

of 21 April 1997, 93-113 deaths *

Si-Zerrouk massacre The Si Zerrouk massacre took place in the Si Zerrouk neighborhood in the south of Larbaa in Algeria on 27 July 1997. About 50 people were killed. Background In 1997, Algeria was at the peak of a civil conflict that had begun after the militar ...

of 27 July 1997, 51 deaths * Souhane massacre of 20–21 August 1997, 63 deaths *

Beni-Ali massacre The Beni Ali massacre took place in the mountain hamlet of Beni Ali, south of Algiers near Chrea, on 26 August 1997. Sixty-four (according to ''The New York Times'' and CNN) or 100 people (according to Amnesty International) were killed. Thr ...

of 26 August 1997, 64 deaths * Rais massacre of 29 August 1997, 100-400 deaths *

Sidi-Hamed massacre The Sidi-Hamed massacre took place on the night of January 11, 1998 (the last day of Ramadan), in the town of Sidi-Hamed (or Sidi-Hammad), 30 km south of Algiers. An estimated fifty gunmen participated, attacking children and adults; they ...

of 11 January 1998, 120-400 deaths

Wilaya of
Chlef Chlef ( ar, الشلف, Berber: Clef) is the capital of Chlef Province, Algeria. Located in the north of Algeria, west of the capital, Algiers, it was founded in 1843, as Orléansville, on the ruins of Roman ''Castellum Tingitanum''. In 1962, i ...

* Alleged Tenes massacre of 4 May 1994, 173 deaths (not independently verified) * Tadjena massacre of 8 December 1998, 81 deaths

Wilaya of Médéa

Berrouaghia prison massacre The Berrouaghia prison massacre is alleged to have taken place on 14 November 1994, after an escape attempt at Algeria's Berrouaghia prison. Estimates of the death toll vary wildly. The government gave the figure of eight dead, while others plac ...

of 14 November 1994, 8-200 deaths * Thalit massacre of 3–4 April 1997, 52 deaths *

Omaria massacre The largest Omaria massacre took place on 23 April 1997 in the Algerian village of El Omaria near Médéa, south of Algiers. Attackers armed with knives, sabers, and guns killed 42 people - including 17 women and 3 babies - in 3 hours, mutilating ...

of 23 April 1997, 43 deaths * Chouardia massacre of 27 April 1998, over 40 deaths *

Guelb El-Kebir massacre The Guelb El-Kebir massacre took place in the village of Guelb el-Kebir, near Beni Slimane, in the Algerian province of Medea, on 20 September 1997. 53 people were killed by attackers that were not immediately identified, though the attack was ...

, 19 September 1997, 53 deaths

Wilaya of
M'Sila M'sila (also spelled Msila) ( ar, المسيلة); is the capital of M'Sila Province, Algeria, and is co-extensive with M'sila District. It has a population of 132,975 as per the 2008 census. M'sila University is also located in this city. Hist ...

* Dairat Labguer massacre of 16 June 1997, 50 deaths

Wilaya of
Oran Oran ( ar, وَهران, Wahrān) is a major coastal city located in the north-west of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria after the capital Algiers, due to its population and commercial, industrial, and cultural ...

Sidi Daoud massacre The Sidi Daoud massacre took place outside the village of Sidi Daoud near Sig in western Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capit ...

of 12 October 1997, 43-50 deaths

Wilaya of
Relizane Relizane or Ghilizan (Arabic: غلیزان; Berber: Ɣilizan) is a city in Algeria. It is the capital city of Relizane Province. Toponymy The name of Relizane comes from the Berber ⵉⵖⵉⵍ ⵉⵣⵣⴰⵏ (Iɣil Izzan) which means “burn ...

* Wilaya of Relizane massacres, of 30 December 1997, 78-412 ** Khrouba massacre, 176 deaths ** Sahnoun massacre, 113 deaths ** El-Abadel massacre, 73 deaths ** Ouled-Tayeb massacre, 50 deaths *

Wilaya of Relizane massacres of 4 January 1998 The Wilaya of Relizane massacres of 4 January 1998 took place in three remote villages around Oued Rhiou about 150 miles (240 km) west of Algiers, during the Algerian conflict of the 1990s. At least 172 villagers were killed in a single da ...

, ~1000 deaths ** Remka massacre, 117 deaths

Wilaya of Saïda

Baloul massacre Baloul is a village in the Boumerdès Province in Kabylie, Algeria. Location The village is surrounded by Soumâa Soumâa or Thala Oufella is a village in the Boumerdès Province in Kabylie, Algeria. Location The village is surrounded by Meral ...

of 2 September 1998, 40-60 deaths

Wilayas of
Tiaret Tiaret ( ar, تاهرت / تيارت; Berber: Tahert or Tihert, i.e. "Lioness") is a major city in northwestern Algeria that gives its name to the wider farming region of Tiaret Province. Both the town and region lie south-west of the capital o ...
and
Tissemsilt Tissemsilt ( ar, تسمسيلت, Tissamsīlt) is a municipality in Algeria ) , image_map = Algeria (centered orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Algie ...

Sid El-Antri massacre The Sid El-Antri massacre took place on the night of 23–24 December 1997 in two small villages near Tiaret, Algeria. The death toll is unclear; Reuters cites "at least 80", or 48 according to the government. ''Le Jeune Independent'' reported 11 ...

of 23–24 December 1997, 53-117 deaths

Other wilayas

Oued Bouaicha massacre The Oued Bouaïcha massacre took place about 150 miles (240 km) south of Algiers, near Djelfa, on March 26, 1998, during the Algerian Civil War The Algerian Civil War ( ar, rtl=yes, الْحَرْبُ الْأَهْلِيَّةُ ال� ...

of 26 March 1998, 52 deaths, W. of

Djelfa Djelfa ( ar, الجلفة, link=no, al-Ǧilfah) is the capital city of Djelfa Province, Algeria and the site of ancient city and former bishopric Fallaba, which remains a Latin catholic titular see. It has a population of 490,248 (2018 census). T ...

* Beni Ounif massacre of 15 August 1999, 29 people

References

Sources

* "An Anatomy of the Massacres", Ait-Larbi, Ait-Belkacem, Belaid, Nait-Redjam, and Soltani, in ''An Inquiry into the Algerian Massacres'', ed. Bedjaoui, Aroua, and Ait-Larbi, Hoggar: Geneva 1999.

External links

Chronologie des massacres en Algerie

Algeria in the grip of terror
- an effort to understand the background of the massacres {{Massacres Massacres of the 1990s Algerian Civil War

Algerian War The Algerian War, also known as the Algerian Revolution or the Algerian War of Independence,( ar, الثورة الجزائرية '; '' ber, Tagrawla Tadzayrit''; french: Guerre d'Algérie or ') and sometimes in Algeria as the War of 1 November ...

Wilaya of Algiers Algiers ( ; ar, الجزائر, al-Jazāʾir; ber, Dzayer, script=Latn; french: Alger, ) is the capital and largest city of Algeria. The city's population at the 2008 Census was 2,988,145Census 14 April 2008: Office National des Statistiques d ...