Algeria Army Chief Says Military Will Prevent Country from Plunging into Chaos
Algeria’s army chief of staff Lieutenant General
Ahmed Gaed Salah said on Wednesday the military will ensure the country does not
descend into violence, state TV said, as mass protests that prompted President
Abdelaziz Bouteflika to quit on April 2 continue.
Bouteflika’s exit has not quieted protesters, who
are now demanding the dismantling of an entire ruling elite entrenched for
decades, a shift towards more democracy and a crackdown on systemic corruption
and cronyism.
Salah said the ongoing marches showed there was
consensus on how to get out of the crisis, the station said.
He did not elaborate but some protesters have welcomed
a push by Salah to prosecute members of the ruling elite close to Bouteflika,
reported Reuters.
The army remains the most powerful institution in
Algeria, which produces oil and gas, having swayed politics from the shadows
for decades. It has so far patiently monitored the mostly peaceful protests
that at times have swelled to hundreds of thousands of people.
On Tuesday, Salah — who helped push out Bouteflika
after having him declared unfit for office — said several big corruption cases
would come to light in a crackdown on graft, the private Ennahar TV station
said.
Hundreds of people demonstrated again in Algiers on
Wednesday for more reforms, TV footage showed.
