Former Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has died at the age of 84 after a long illness. He led the North African state for nearly two decades, but stepped down in 2019 after his intention to take a fifth term sparked mass protests.
Bouteflika had played an important role in Algeria’s struggle for independence in the 1950s and 1960s. In 1999, when Algeria was emerging from a horrific civil war that left nearly 200,000 dead, Bouteflika became president at the request of the military.
Since 2013, when he was attacked, he was rarely seen in public and moved through the wheelchair. The attack had left him with consequences in speech and ability to move.
Bouteflika served as minister for 16 years and was an active member of the United Nations. As president of the General Assembly in 1974, he had invited Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat to address the UN governing body. His action was unparalleled and had caused great commotion.
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