Azazga Citizens Require Punishing Killers of Moustapha

Citizens of Azazga village in the province of Tizi Ouzou, have marched on Sunday to protest against the killing of a civilian by soldiers in error on Thursday, after a bomb attack.

The rally was called on by the village commission, and witnessed a wide turnout as hundreds came from neighbouring villages, including the victim’s home village, Mekla.  

Father of five Moustapha Dial, 41 years old, a builder, was fired upon by troops who raided a villa where he was caretaker, situated not far from the bomb attack. Such an incident erupted anger of dwellers of Azazga and Mekla, who launched a two-day strike.

The protesters marched to the city centre lifting billboards denouncing the incident and chanting slogans to claim the divulgation of the truth and to sue the killers in justice.  

The protesters marked a silent moment in the spot where Moustapha was shot dead, before his family members and the mayor of Soumaa stepped in, and put a bench of flowers there. 

The incident on Thursday prompted a statement from the Ministry of Defense (MDN) admitting the mistake and expressing its condolences to the victim’s family.

The MDN said that earlier Thursday a bomb attack on a military patrol killed one soldier and wounded another.