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On January 14, 2021, five people were killed by a bomb placed by Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb in Oueid Khenig-Roum, near Telidjane, Tébessa Province, Algeria.
| Oueid Khenig-Roum bombing | |
|---|---|
| Part of Islamist insurgency in the Sahel | |
| Location | Oueid Khenig-Roum, Telidjane District, Tebessa Province, Algeria |
| Date | January 14, 2021 |
| Target | Algerian soldiers |
| Deaths | 5 civilians killed |
| Injured | 3 injured |
| Perpetrator |  AQIM |
Background
editFollowing the end of the Algerian Civil War, the Salafist Group for Preaching and Combat, the predecessor to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), launched limited incursions and bombings into Algerian territory as it consolidated power in Mali, Niger, and Mauritania.[1] Many of these attacks targeted Algerian soldiers. In December 2020, a shootout in Jijel Province killed an Algerian officer and three AQIM jihadists.[1] At the beginning of January 2021, clashes between Algerian soldiers and AQIM killed three soldiers and six fighters.[1]
Bombing
editThe bombing occurred on January 14 when a civilian car drove over a homemade landmine on a road in the rural Oueid Khenig-Roum region of Tebessa.[2] The drivers were hunters from Bir el Ater, and were on their way to a hunting area.[3] Five civilians were killed and three others were wounded in the explosion. In the statement released by the Algerian Ministry of Defense announcing the bombing, Algerian authorities also stated that a shootout several hours later between Algerian authorities and a jihadist in Khenchela Province killed the jihadist.[1] The jihadist killed was monitoring the area to scope out locations for a jihadist attack.[3]
The bombing at Oueid Khenig-Roum was the deadliest attack on civilians in Algeria in several years.[4] The bombing was also the first civilian vehicle bombing by jihadists in Algeria in ten years.[3] Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for the attack but stated they did not intend to kill civilians.[5] Egypt condemned the bombing in a statement released on January 15.[6]
References
edit- ^ a b c d "Five civilians killed in Algeria roadside bomb blast". Al Jazeera. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
- ^ Ahmed, Hamid Ould; Shumaker, Lisa (January 14, 2021). "Five killed in Algeria bomb explosion". Reuters. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ a b c Kharief, Akram (January 22, 2021). "Is Algeria once again confronted with the threat of terrorism?". The Africa Report. Retrieved July 3, 2024.
- ^ "Five civilians killed in Algeria bomb blast: ministry". Arab News. 2021-01-14. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
- ^ "Safety and security - Algeria travel advice". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2024-07-04.
- ^ "Egypt condemns bomb explosion in Algeria's Tebessa province". Egyptian State Information Service. January 15, 2021. Retrieved July 3, 2024.