An apparant terrorist attack took place on Monday morning in Blida, located about 50 kilometers from Algiers, as Pope Leo XIV begins his visit to the country.
The incident marks the first such attack in Algeria since 2012 and comes as the pope is on an official visit to the country.
According to media sources, two individuals detonated explosive devices near a central police station. Security forces reportedly attempted to intervene, and at least one officer was injured.
The exact toll remains unclear.
Witness accounts cited by local media indicate that the assailants targeted both a police facility and a private sports complex on Mohamed Boudiaf Boulevard, one of the city’s main thoroughfares.
The attack has shaken the city amid the Pope’s visit to Algiers, where he was received earlier in the day by President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. Authorities have yet to issue an official statement on the incident.
This is the first suicide attack reported in the country since 2012, reviving memories of the civil conflict during which Blida was heavily affected by violence.
On the first day of his visit, Pope Leo XIV urged Algerian authorities “not to fear” popular participation in political and economic life and to promote “a vibrant, dynamic and free civil society.”
“The true strength of a nation lies in the cooperation of all in achieving the common good. Authorities are called not to dominate, but to serve the people and their development,” he said in a speech delivered in English before senior officials, including the Algerian president.
“I therefore urge those in authority in this country not to fear this perspective and to promote a lively, dynamic and free civil society, in which young people in particular are recognised for their ability to broaden the horizon of hope for all,” he added.
AK/Sf/lb/as/APA