22 dead in Arab-Berber unrest in Algeria: Media

At least 22 people have died in fighting between Berbers and Arabs in southern Algeria, the bloodiest toll in two years of frequent clashes between the communities, national news agency APS reported on July 8.

Homes, shops, public buildings, cars and palm groves were set on fire across the region of Guerrara and its main town of Ghardaia, 600 kilometres (370 miles) south of Algiers, as the violence flared on July 7 and 8.  

President Abdelaziz Bouteflika called an emergency meeting of his top leaders after the clashes, during which he charged the regional commander to "supervise the actions of the security services and local authorities to re-establish public order".
 
He also asked the prime minister to punish "all violations of the law with diligence and severity" and to ensure the security of people and their goods, his office said in a statement.    

APS said 19 people wounded in two days of clashes between Chaamba Arabs and Mozabite Berbers in the M'zab valley had died of their injuries, raising the toll since July 7 to 22.    

Dozens of other people were hurt in the violence, the agency said, and clashes continued on July 8 around Ghardaia, a UNESCO world heritage site renowned for its traditional white-washed houses and bustling market, and other nearby towns.    

Interior Minister Nouredine Bedoui travelled to the stricken region, APS reported, while an AFP correspondent said Algiers-Ghardaia flights were cancelled until July 12.
 
"The situation is very serious. This is not just clashes any more, it's terrorism," a Mozabite leader told AFP, adding that armed "gangs" had seized control of the town's entrances.
 
A security source said police reinforcements were sent from Algiers.