At least 34 dead in road crash in Algeria

Algiers, July 19, (dpa/GNA) – A passenger bus and a vehicle, collided on Wednesday in Algeria and caught fire, leaving at least 34 dead, the country’s civil defence agency said.

Twelve others were injured in the collision, that took place in the southern province of Tamanrasset, the agency added in a statement.

Images carried by Algerian media, showed the bus and the vehicle burnt out as a result.

The cause of the accident is not clear yet.

Road crashes have increased in Algeria in recent years.

A total of 3,591 traffic accidents were recorded in the North African country in the first five months of this year, leaving 116 dead and 5,325 others injured, according to official figures.

The figure is a 45% rise in traffic accidents, against the same period in 2022.

Forty-two people were killed and 1,697 others injured in traffic accidents across Algeria, between July 9 and 15, the country’s state news agency APS reported Tuesday.

In recent years, Algerian authorities have imposed strict rules for drivers, especially truck drivers, who have been found guilty of reckless driving and causing accidents in the past.

Hundreds of cameras have also been installed across the highway near the Algerian capital, to monitor traffic violations with the aim of reducing accidents.

GNA