Algeria commemorated the 70th anniversary of its war for independence from France on Friday.
The event featured a military parade amidst rising tensions with France, its former colonial ruler.
Military jets flew over Algiers, leaving contrails in the clear blue sky.
Thousands of spectators applauded as columns of troops marched past the city’s largest mosque.
The war for independence began on November 1, 1954, after over a century of French rule.
Fighters from the National Liberation Front (FLN) initiated attacks on government buildings, resulting in 10 deaths.
The conflict lasted eight years, with casualties estimated between half a million and 1.5 million.
Both Algeria and France acknowledge that most victims were Algerians.
President Abdelmadjid Tebboune stated that the anniversary reminds everyone of Algeria’s triumph over colonialism.
Several regional leaders, including Tunisia’s Kais Saied and Mauritania’s Ould Cheikh El Ghazouani, attended the event.
Notably absent was Morocco, with which Algeria severed ties in 2021.
The parade concluded with President Tebboune and General Said Chengriha participating in a 70-gun salute.
Algeria’s military budget has increased significantly, reaching $22 billion in 2023.
