Algeria marks 70 years since start of war of independence against France

Algeria marked the 70th anniversary of its independence war against France with a large military parade in the capital Algiers on Friday, AFP reports. Military jets flew over the city as troops marched past Algiers’ largest mosque, cheered by thousands of people. Algeria's eight-year war for independence, which began on November 1, 1954, saw attacks by the National Liberation Front (FLN) on French government buildings, marking the start of a conflict that left between 500,000 and 1.5 million people dead, mostly Algerians.

President Abdelmadjid Tebboune used the occasion to honor Algeria’s victory over colonialism, saying the nation continues to "achieve victories." Leaders from Tunisia, Mauritania, and Libya attended, though neighboring Morocco, with which Algeria has strained relations, was absent. President Tebboune and General Said Chengriha joined the parade in an open-top vehicle as a 70-gun salute marked the occasion. In 2023, Algeria's military -- one of the largest in Africa -- saw its budget double to $22 billion. It is expected to rise next year to $25billion, with Russia as its main arms supplier.