Beni Ounif massacre
Encyclopedia
Béni Ounif is a municipality in Béchar Province
, Algeria
, coextensive with the district of Béni Ounif. It is located 8 kilometers of Figuig
, Morocco
, which is inaccessible as the border between the two countries is closed. It has a population of 8.199 as of the 1998, which gives it 7 seats in the PMA
.
border, on 15 August, 1999. Guerrillas stopped a bus at a fake roadblock
and killed some 29 people. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika
suggested that the terrorists in question had found shelter in Morocco
, but later retracted the accusation.
Béchar Province
Béchar is a province in Algeria, named after its capital Béchar.The greater part of the province is uninhabitable sand dune fields , in particular the Great Western Erg and the Erg Er Raoui, or dry plains suitable for grazing but with insufficient surface water to support agriculture...
, Algeria
Algeria
Algeria , officially the People's Democratic Republic of Algeria , also formally referred to as the Democratic and Popular Republic of Algeria, is a country in the Maghreb region of Northwest Africa with Algiers as its capital.In terms of land area, it is the largest country in Africa and the Arab...
, coextensive with the district of Béni Ounif. It is located 8 kilometers of Figuig
Figuig
Figuig - Ifiyey is a town in eastern Morocco near the Atlas Mountains, on the border with Algeria.The town is built around an oasis of date palms, called Tazdayt in the Berber languages, surrounded by rugged, mountainous wilderness...
, Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, which is inaccessible as the border between the two countries is closed. It has a population of 8.199 as of the 1998, which gives it 7 seats in the PMA
People's Municipal Assembly
The People's Municipal Assembly , is the political body governing the municipalities of Algeria. It is composed of an assembly elected on universal suffrage for five years. This assembly further elects a president, the president of the People's Municipal Assembly, which is the Algerian equivalent...
.
History
The Béni Ounif massacre took place there near the MoroccanMorocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
border, on 15 August, 1999. Guerrillas stopped a bus at a fake roadblock
Roadblock
A roadblock is a temporary installation set up to control or block traffic along a road. The reasons for one could be:*Roadworks*Temporary road closure during special events*Police chase*Robbery*Sobriety checkpoint...
and killed some 29 people. President Abdelaziz Bouteflika
Abdelaziz Bouteflika
Abdelaziz Bouteflika is the ninth President of Algeria. He has been in office since 1999. He continued emergency rule until 24 February 2011, and presided over the end of the bloody Algerian Civil War in 2002...
suggested that the terrorists in question had found shelter in Morocco
Morocco
Morocco , officially the Kingdom of Morocco , is a country located in North Africa. It has a population of more than 32 million and an area of 710,850 km², and also primarily administers the disputed region of the Western Sahara...
, but later retracted the accusation.