A damaged building on a scorched hill after a wildfire that swept through Algeria's northeastern Jijel province last week. AFPShow caption: A damaged building on a scorched hill after a wildfire that …President's order comes after 12 people were killed in northeast of country The NationalAugust 31, 2026
Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune has ordered the introduction of the death penalty for arsonists, giving the Minister of Justice until 15 September to implement the change.
Twelve people were killed and 54 injured in wildfires that swept through north-east Algeria last week, with five fatalities recorded in Jijel province alone.
Algeria's civil protection services recorded 154 wildfires across the country in a single day, driven by an exceptional heatwave affecting North Africa.
The president declared three days of national mourning and announced compensation for those affected, alongside alternative housing for those who lost their homes.
