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Algeria’s Bouteflika secretly heads to France for treatment

January 23, 2019 at 10:17 am

Algerian media revealed that President Abdelaziz Bouteflika has secretly left to France for medical check-up.
Observ’Algeria news site said the Algerian president secretly left on Friday to Grenoble Hospital in France to undergo medical examinations.

The site said the president’s medical plane was spotted on the French-Swiss border, adding that “it is not confirmed whether Bouteflika was onboard the plane or not”.

Meanwhile, Le Matin d’Algerie newspaper reported that the president’s health is still “critical” pointing out that it coincided with the presidential palace’s call on the electorate to convene and set the date for the presidential elections to be 18 April.

“Everyone in the Algeria Press Service is aware of Bouteflika’s transfer to Grenoble Hospital, but we have received instructions not to disclose the information at this time,” an Algerian newspaper quoted an APS journalist saying, adding that “some colleagues who collaborate with other websites and news blogs have leaked the news”.

Eighty-one-year-old Bouteflika’s fourth term in office is due to come to an end at the end of April, he has not yet announced whether he plans to run in the upcoming elections.

READ: 32 candidates apply to run for Algeria presidential elections