Algeria: Violent scuffles between MAK partisans and police forces in Tizi Ouzou

Violent clashes erupted on Sunday between police forces and supporters of the separatist “MAK” movement who sought to stage a big march in the streets of the city of Tizi Ouzou in north-eastern Algeria on the occasion of the commemoration of the 34th anniversary of the Berber spring events coinciding with April 20th of each year.

The anti-riot police forces sealed off the area and drove back the MAK marchers but the situation swiftly took a turn for the worse with violent skirmishes erupting between the two sides.

 The protesters hurled stones, bottles and all sorts of projectiles at the police forces who used tear-gas and baton charges to disperse the surging crowd on the rampage.

Tens of people including several police agents have been injured some of them seriously in the runaway scuffles and many protesters involved directly in the acts of violence were rounded up and taken to custody.

 The number of those injured in these confrontations was set at around one hundred.

An additional police force comprising 500 elements has been dispatched to the city of Tizi Ouzou and its vicinity in a bid to face up to any further untoward contingency and restore law and order there.